Captains of the Sky
by Emme2589
Summary: Willow meets a comrade of her mother when they return from a space expedition...and grows attached to him...but what will happen when she learns his lethal secret? [OC (Willow)/OC (V-GR)] [WALL-E/EVE]
1. Chapter 1

Willow could barely contain her excitement. Almost a year ago, her mom and her aunts all left on a space ship, and today was the day they were scheduled to come home. Willow had to take care of her father the last few months as he had fallen into a deep depression. He horribly missed his wife.

And, well...she missed her mother...

 _Finally! I can't wait!_ M-O shook with anticipation, _I'm so sick of seeing WALL-E so sad!_

"Eve...Eve..." WALL-E smiled wide as he gasped, "Here they come!"

The dot in the sky got bigger and bigger, making a loud sound as it touched base. After several seconds of billowing smoke, the door opened and a shock of white flew out, grabbing WALL-E and kissing him passionately.

"Eeeevvvvve..." WALL-E sighed weakly.

"Mom!" Willow was also swept up and kissed.

"Oh! I missed you all so much!" EVE gushed, "I'm finally home! I can't believe it!"

Willow cried out, "We missed you so much, Mom!"

 _We have so much catching up to do!_ M-O exclaimed.

Willow watched as Nos and Fletcher wrapped their arms around Aya, Nos' wife and Fletcher's mother. Then, someone else emerged from the pod after all Willow's aunts had filed out and greeted their loved ones.

He was about five and a half feet tall, resembling the design of an old school astronaut. His eyes were solid white rectangles on his black helmet-like screen, and he was white, decorated everywhere with red and blue. Stasis beams held his limbs in place, while small off-handed lettering decorated his chest on the left side;

V-GR

He serveyed the area with mild interest before heading over to EVE. A bright smile lit up his face, "Hey, Eve! Is this your family?"

"Sure is!" EVE replied cheerfully.

"I'm Wall-E!" WALL-E shook the new robot's hand, "Eve's husband."

"Awesome! My name is 'Vee-Jur'." V-GR turned his attention to Willow, "So this must be your daughter! Eve talks about you both a lot, you know."

Willow had yet to say anything. Only then did she manage a weak, "Hi..."

"What?" V-GR laughed, "Eve! You didn't tell me Willow was shy!"

"Huh? She's not..." EVE was slightly perplexed, "She's not shy at all. Not even a little bit..."

"Cat got yer tongue, huh?" V-GR winked, his eye-form squashing down, "It's because I'm so handsome, isn't it?"

Willow's head floated downwards.

"Wil?" EVE asked skeptically, "Are you okay?"

"Huh. She was fine until we got here." WALL-E remarked, "Wil?"

"Uh...I-I'm fine..." Willow mumbled.

V-GR flashed a grin, stooping down so he was at eye-level with Willow, "It's because I'm so irresistible, isn't it?"

Willow's arms fell to the ground.

"Ugh! V-Gr!" EVE playfully shoved him, "You're such a flirt!"

"Come on!" V-GR scoffed, "You know you love me!"

"Oh stop!" EVE laughed, "You went on this mission just to be surrounded by girls!"

"And if I did?" V-GR's eyes flashed blue as he laughed hysterically, under assault by his dear friend.

Willow found that she couldn't stop looking at V-GR's smile. His eyes curved up in an almost cartoonish way, and his mouth added something like a delicate feel to the curve of his chin. It was...cute.

"Haha...well, I'd better get back to the station. See you guys later!" His eyes softened as they lingered over Willow before he ran off.

Willow still found it slightly hard to think.

* * *

Willow lay on the floor of the truck, lost deep in her own thoughts. V-GR was on her mind. She was extremely curious about him, more curious than she'd ever been in her life in fact. And that's saying a lot because she was curious about literally everything. She always wanted to learn, about the world, its history, his inhabitants and all of its nature.

And yet...nothing was more curious to her than the nature of V-GR's smile...

"Hey, Willow." EVE sifted through her husband's assortment of things, "What's wrong? You don't seem like yourself today."

Willow spoke softly, "...nothing's wrong..."

"Huh?" EVE stopped what she was doing to hover above her daughter, staring down at her with obvious skepticism, "You aren't acting like yourself. Why is that?"

Willow blinked, but didn't reply.

"You were like that ever since..." something clicked in EVE's mind, "Wait a minute..."

A wide, mischievous smile spread across her mother's face, "Ohhh...Willow, do you...?"

"I have to see him again!" Willow sprang into the air, "Tell me about him, Mom! Tell me all about V-Gr!"

EVE giggled good-naturedly, "Okay! Calm down! I'll tell you everything I know."

Willow sat down attentively.

"Okay. Where to begin? Well, V-Gr was built by a new roboticist as a personal project before he realized he could sell the technology to Buy n Large to help pay off his student loans. V-Gr was intended to be an astronaut-bot, seeing as no humans are quite fit enough to be in space for extended periods of time."

Willow soaked up all this information like a thirsty sponge.

"He was deployed with us due to his experience with space travel. He knows when to be serious, but he can be so obnoxious! And he's the biggest flirt this side of the horsehead nebula! Honestly! Only two of the Eves are even single!"

Willow clasped her hands together, fingers interlaced. Her father had told her the story of how he had met her mother and how they fell in love a million times, but she had never thought about it in this light before. Was she feeling the same way WALL-E had when he first laid his eyes on EVE?

"I can tell, Wil. You really like him." EVE replied, "You should go talk to him again."

"But will he be busy today?" Willow slumped, "What if he doesn't want to see me?"

"No. He would love to see you." EVE pat her daughter on the back, "And besides, after his check in with the station, he has the rest of the day off. He told me he'd try to relax at the park today. That would be a good place to look."

"I-I don't know, Mom..." Willow looked back down at her still-entwined gray metal fingers, "I was so nervous...it was weird! I don't think I've ever been nervous about anything!"

"I think you've been nervous once or twice." EVE said, "Regardless, he's really friendly. I mean, if you feel like you're too nervous..."

"N-no way!" Willow jumped to her feet (treads), "I-I'm gonna talk to him! No guy could ever make me more nervous than flying through the air with a jet pack! No way!" Willow sped out the door, "I'll be home by ten!"

EVE watched her go with fondness.

 _Well..._ EVE smiled warmly, _There she goes..._

 _They grow up so fast..._


	2. Chapter 2

Willow lay low, hiding in the bushes of the park. She saw her cousin Fletcher, playing with the neighbourhood children on the swings. Nearby, V-GR sat down on a park bench, swinging one of his legs on his knee and putting both hands behind his head, leaning back peacefully.

 _Mission briefing:_ Willow thought, _V-GR. Otherwise known as hot target. Proceeding with Plan A._

She strode over to V-GR confidently, the soft sound of her treads catching his attention.

"Hiya, Willow!" he greeted with a wink.

She was about to say something, but then she turned away, feeling the heat creep up her face, "Hi..."

"Aw man!" V-GR couldn't stifle a chortle, "I thought you were gonna talk to me!"

Willow tried to say something, but found her speaker was offline, like something had been shoved into it.

"Eve told me you're incredibly outgoing!" V-GR complained, "Why are you suddenly so quiet?"

Willow frowned, _Mission: failed..._

"Tell you what. You should spend the day with me!" V-GR offered, "I'd love to get to know you better! Maybe you'll figure out how to relax."

Willow's processor was running faster and faster. Her system was nearly on the verge of overheating, especially out in the sun.

"Hey..." V-GR reached out to touch her shoulder, sending a powerful shock wave through Willow's system. He smiled at her with baby blue eyes, "I want to be your friend okay? Wow, you're getting really hot..."

She just heated up more.

"Come on. Let's go into the shade." he began to walk, and was relieved when Willow followed.

He leaned back against the wooden pole of a gazebo, crossing his arms as he gazed at the sky, "It's wonderful seeing the sun again after such a long time away..."

Willow watched his eyes as they looked over the earth, "The sky is more blue than it was a year ago! And there are more kids playing outside!"

Willow wheeled closer to him, watching as a bird fluttered onto a tree branch and sang a lovely tune.

"They were all just waiting for the earth to heal..." he closed his eyes in fond remembrance.

"Um..." Willow had found her voice again, though it was still quiet, "How old are you?"

"Oh...how old am I?" he brought a hand to his chin, "I think I'm about...uh...ten years old by now."

"Ten? Really?"

He shrugged, "More or less. It's not something I really keep track of. You?"

"Uhhh..." Willow tried to think instead of staring at V-GR's award-winning smile, "I believe I'm seventy four at this point in time..."

"You're talking now!" the color in V-GR's eyes shifted to vibrant blue, "See? I knew you could do it!"

"Okay!" Willow snapped, looking down again, "Don't make such a fuss!"

His eyes went back to baby blue, but his smile didn't waver, "Right. Sorry."

Willow began to tap her pointer fingers together absently.

V-GR gestured with his head, "C'mon, Willow." he started walking, "Let me take you somewhere nice."

V-GR stopped at a flower shop, sitting outside on the bench. He invited Willow to sit down next to him, and she did.

She could still feel that nervousness.

"Eve told me that you're really playful." V-GR smiled patiently, "What do you usually like to do?"

Willow cleared her throat, "I...I like...skydiving..."

"Really? Me too!" V-GR rested his elbows on his knees, "Are you a daredevil?"

Willow felt herself relax, "Yeah. I do crazy things that scare my dad. I also like to play sports."

"Haha! That's great!" V-GR replied, "I like to play basketball in my spare time. You should play me!"

"I love basketball!" Willow exclaimed, "Did you know we had so much in common?"

"I had a feeling." he admitted, "Eve told me a lot about you, and I just got curious."

A human girl emerged from the flower shop just then with a bouquet of dandelions, "V-Gr?"

"Yep. That's me!" he took the yellow flowers from her and she smiled as she ducked back inside.

Willow's simulated breath hitched, "Dandelions?"

"Mmhmm!" he handed them to her with a flourish, "They're your favourite, right?"

"Oh!" Willow took the bouquet, "My mom told you?"

"Yep!" he winked, "She says that she still can't pull them from her garden because of that time you stopped her doing it."

Willow smiled, "Wow...yeah, I like dandelions because they sprout up literally anywhere, even through solid concrete. Can other pansy flowers do that?"

Willow blushed as V-GR laughed.

"And besides..." Willow continued, "Once they mature, they turn into puffballs of white seeds. You can make a wish on those. I only wish I could blow the seeds. My human friends can."

"Right." the pale blue came back to his eyes, "I have a ventilation system."

"So you can blow the seeds?"

"Uh huh."

"Cool!" the rest of Willow's nervousness melted away, "Thank you so much! Thank you thank you!"

V-GR started when Willow hugged him.

"Ah! There you are!" V-GR returned the hug, "I knew I'd find you!"

"Mm..." Willow felt warm in V-GR's embrace.

"Now then..." a more saturated blue came to V-GR's eye-forms, "What else should we do today?"

"Aren't you nervous!?" V-GR shouted over all the noise.

"Of course not! I've jumped from much higher up than this!"

"Next time, we'll launch into orbit!" V-GR promised, "Ready!?"

"Let's go!"

Both robots jumped from the hover pod and fell through the air, magnetic harnesses gently keeping them in place as the wind rushed by their ears.

"Woo hooo!" V-GR hollered.

"Yeah!" Willow felt the adrenaline she usually got, which was nice. But with V-GR right there, she also felt warm and safe so close by his side. It was the greatest feeling she'd ever experienced.

She giggled with exhilaration, "Almost there!"

She felt both of them come to a steady halt, landing on the ground softly before the bungee cords connecting them let them dangle for a moment.

"That's awesome!" V-GR disconnected the cords they hung from, "You know, most girls I meet hate skydiving! We have to do it again!"

"Yes! Again again!"

V-GR beamed, "Of course, my darling! As many times as you want!"

Willow was ecstatic, "Yay!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Ahhh..." Willow wheeled into the truck.

"Did you have fun?" EVE asked.

"Yes..." Willow held her face as she blushed, "He's so perfect..."

"Hm?" WALL-E looked up, "Whoa. What happened to you?"

"Veee-Juuur..." Willow slurred, "Mmm..."

"Wait..."

"She reminds me of someone, you know..." EVE cast a sideways glance at her husband.

"Huh?" WALL-E seemed annoyed as he looked away, "It wasn't that extreme..."

"Really? From what I remember, you always looked at me with big puppy dog eyes..." EVE giggled, "I love you so much..."

"Ah...I love you too, Evah...

"I have to see him again..." Willow gushed with admiration, "I need to see him again..."

EVE laughed, "Did you spend the entire day with him?"

"I did...his favorite color is purple, and his favorite place to be is the park...he loves smiling and goofing off more than anything, and his favorite planet to explore by far is Earth...he really wants to see it heal..." Willow's voice dripped with honey, "His favorite pastime is trying daredevil stunts, and also relaxing from a long day of sky sailing...it's incredible..."

"Aw! My baby's falling in love!" EVE swept up her daughter in a sweet embrace, nuzzling her gently.

"Mooom!" Willow giggled, "Don't embarrass me!"

"I'm your mother! That's my job!" EVE replied gleefully.

"Dad! Help me!"

"I-I can't..." WALL-E sniffed, "I'm all emotional for some reason..."

"Daaaaaaaaaad!"

"What?"

EVE finally set Willow down, giving her a small kiss, "I'm so proud of you!"

"Okay, that's enough." Willow pushed her away, "I love you too, Mom."

"When are you going to see him again?" EVE asked.

Willow grinned;

"As soon as possible!"

* * *

 **6 Days Of Bonding Later**

"Dangit! Why!?"

"I win!" Willow leaned against the arcade cabinet, "My dad has this game on his Atari."

"An original Atari!?" V-GR exclaimed, "Those are worth millions now!"

"Well, there's no way he'd get rid of it." Willow grinned, "You wanna go again?"

"Nah, I'm sick of this arcade. I have a better idea." V-GR took her hands, "You should see my house!"

"Your house?" she was excited, "Oo! Where do you live?"

"Let me show you!" He dragged her from the arcade to the street, "I live somewhere special!"

"Show me!"

Willow let him lead her to the Northern Atlanta District, where some farmers tended to their crops (a few of them even stopped to wave). A space pod rested along one of the dirt roads, rusty but otherwise in mint condition. V-GR beamed when it came into their view.

"There it is..." he said simply, "You wanna come inside?"

"Yes please!" Willow cried.

"Alright! Come on in!" he typed a command into the keypad and the door swung open.

Willow's eyes widened upon seeing the interior, "Whoa..."

It was decorated like a space station. There were only two rooms, but both were relatively spacious, with little round windows and bright fluorescent lights. Posters decorated the walls, along with photographs and documents from various planets.

"Have I rendered you speechless?"

Willow nodded.

V-GR smiled as she looked around, "I was fortunate when I got my hands on this old pod. I reinforced it into a little living space for myself. Cool, right?"

"This is AWESOME!" Willow went to look at everything, "Are these all authentic photos!? And are these preservers real!? This is so amazing!"

"They're all real." V-GR stopped Willow to look into her eyes, "But listen. I want to ask you something."

"Hm?" Willow blinked, noticing his eyes had gone back to white, "What is it?"

"Come here."

Her heart skipped as he walked off to the second room, where a completely circular bed took up much of the space. This room was decorated simply, with purple panelling and pillows.

V-GR lay down on the bed, resting his hands on his torso. Willow climbed up to join him.

"Willow..." V-GR began, "What am I to you?"

"What are you? A goofy friend who can't beat me in pong."

He sighed almost disappointedly, though he was smiling, "Are you sure about that?"

Willow sighed, "Well, I don't know! Sorry to be all tsundere on you!"

"Tsundere? What's that?"

"Nothing. I just..." she trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"Hm..."

Willow thought about all the time she'd spent with this guy over the past week. Whenever she was at work, she thought about him, his mysterious smile, his casual demeanor. Whenever she was away from him all day, she always felt...hollow...like something was missing...

But when she was with him, during all the days they spent together, their hugs got longer, their laughs got louder, their bond strengthened more and more. Willow saw how he looked at her; with all the admiration she felt in herself, for him.

It felt real, and it felt special.

And Willow couldn't have been happier.

Willow laced her fingers together. The gray of her father and the sleek curve of her mother. She was herself a byproduct of two who would go to the ends of the earth, just to see the other smile; One who was alone, and one who had a duty. One who was brown, and one who was white. Both who had a directive, both who gave it up for each other.

V-GR broke Willow from her train of thought by wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. Her heart jumped, beginning to pound.

"Stay the night." he mumbled tiredly, "Please?"

She closed her eyes, listening to the quiet hum of V-GR's processor, "Sure..."


	4. Chapter 4

Willow woke up the next morning, noticing V-GR had left. It had now been seven days since they first met, and Willow was convinced that she was in love. Maybe she was wrong, but she knew that her parents had fallen for each other in a much shorter time frame than that. If she was wrong, well...

She wouldn't know what to think.

"V-Gr?" Willow cleared her blurred vision out, sliding from the bed. She wheeled into the first room, seeing him hunched over a book. His eyes were red.

"V-Gr?" she repeated, "Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, Willow..." he looked at her with crying eyes, "But I haven't been entirely honest with you..."

"What?" Willow was confused, and a little afraid, "What do you mean?"

"I think you deserve to know this..." V-GR shook as he breathed, "I'm not really from Earth..."

"What!? Wait, that's a joke, isn't it!?"

V-GR covered his mouth, "I really wish it was..." he let the book slip from his hands, watching it clatter to the floor, "Oh...how I wish that was a joke..."

Willow frowned, but didn't reply.

"I..." he inhaled sharply, "I'm really from an alien planet...I was built just past the Kuiper Belt..."

"What!? How can that be!?" Willow rushed to his side, "And why are you crying about it!?"

"Because..." he looked at her with longing, "I'll never see you again..."

"Wh-what...?"

"I was going to take this planet!" V-GR sobbed, "I was going to get rid of you this morning and seize the Earth for my boss today...b-but..."

He swept her up and held her close, whimpering into the top of her head, "I can't do it! I've gotten too attached to this planet, I've gotten too attached to you! I can't take this planet as my own to be controlled by the empress! It's not fair!" he gently stroked Willow's back, his touch sending a tingly sensation into her, "They will kill me for defying them. I must leave now, or they will take you out with me. Please just go home and forget I even existed at all."

Willow finally felt the despair as she cried into V-GR's chest, "I can't! You're the coolest guy I've ever met! I can't just forget about you!"

"You must. It's my last request. Please forget. Forget everything. If you don't, they could find you."

"Who!? Who will find me!?"

"I can't tell you, my dear." V-GR cradled her in his lap, "Just trust me. Forget. Forget everything about me."

"I can't _do_ that! It's impossible!"

"Fine." V-GR's grip on her tightened suddenly, "Then I'll have to force you to forget!"

"AH!" Willow cried out in pain, "STOOOP!"

"I'm sorry, Willow..." he said, "I truly am..."

"LET ME GO!" Willow hugged him tightly, "I DON'T WANT TO FORGET! PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME FORGET!"

"I have to." V-GR kissed her, a spark on her visor. It warmed her up inside, "I love you, Willow..."

"V-Gr..." she whimpered, "Veee-Juuur..."

 _V-GR..._

* * *

"Willow?"

"Hm?" Willow blinked sleepily. She was back at home on her little shelf. Her trinkets from various treasure hunts with her father surrounded her on all sides.

"Sweetheart?" EVE pulled her from the shelf, "Are you okay? You came home crying this morning!"

"I did...?" Willow pried her arms from their sockets, "What even happened? I don't remember anything from the whole week!"

Willow's head was fuzzy. She knew it had been a week, but she couldn't remember big chunks of how she'd spent it. She remembered being at work, and being home, and being with her parents, but she couldn't remember V-GR...

Wait, V-GR? Who's that?

"Mom? Who's V-Gr?"

"V-Gr?" EVE frowned, "I don't know. That name doesn't sound familiar to me."

"Really? It keeps rolling around in my head..." V-GR...V-GR...she knew it was someone's name, but for some reason, she couldn't remember who they were. She tried to form coherent thoughts, matching whatever she associated with the name V-GR.

Remember...iremember.../i

"Willow?" EVE pulled her aside, "Don't think about it so hard. You'll hurt yourself. It'll come to you eventually."

"But I feel like it's urgent!" Willow cried in distress, "I feel like I have limited time!"

"Wil, it's okay!"

"No it's not! I have to remember inow!"/i

EVE was at a loss.

"Wil?" WALL-E entered the truck, "What's wrong?"

"Dad..." Willow absently touched the base of her screen. It was just the teeniest bit singed. Was she kissed? Yes, she had been kissed...by...

By that perfect smile...

She jumped back, startled by her sudden revelation, "V-GR! I REMEMBER NOW!"

"What? What are you saying!?" EVE urged.

"Mom! Remember V-Gr? He was on your space mission! You left for a year with him and your sisters! Remember!?"

"Uh..." EVE was very doubtful about her answer, "N-no...I don't remember...?"

"Is your memory blank in places?"

"Y-yeah..."

"V-Gr had white metal! And blue and red! His eyes were like cartoonish! And his smile was...perfect! Remember!? Mom! You have to remember!"

EVE was lost in old memories.

She missed her family...her husband, and her daughter...a robot asked her about it..."Yeah. Dandelions are her favorite..." she said...

EVE's eyes widened, "I remember now..."

"What? What's going on?" WALL-E asked, "Who's V-Gr!?"

"Mom! He's in danger!" Willow looked pleadingly into her mother's eyes, "We have to go after him! We have to save him!"

"Save him!? From what!?"

"They're going to kill him! Please let me go after him!"

EVE's heart melted at the sound of her voice, and the sorrow in her eyes. EVE straightened out, a spark of determination alighting in her expression, "Wall-E?"

"Yeah?"

"Let's go." EVE said, "We've got no time to lose."


	5. Chapter 5

Willow looked down at the planet as they sped away from it. Her eyes widened with wonder. Just one small patch was green, while the rest was all brown.

"Is that..." she said, "...all the land we still have to cover?"

"Yeah. We've got a long way to go." EVE replied, "But look at all the progress we've made in just the last century! We'll get earth back to its former glory in no time!"

"Wow..." WALL-E smiled, "I remember this..."

"It's so beautiful up here." Willow breathed in awe.

"Okay..." EVE hovered to the computer, "I've found the remnants of V-Gr's pod, along with his chemical signature, so it shouldn't be hard to-!"

"Hey, Mom!" Willow gasped, "I'm floating!"

"Pretty cool, right?" WALL-E replied, "It was crazy for me too!"

"Learn to listen, please." EVE shook her head at their childish behavior, "I don't know how long this will take, so..."

"Pillow fight!"

EVE felt something hit the back of her head. She spun around, "Wil!"

"Come on, Eve!" WALL-E laughed, "Play with us!"

"No way! You could break the machinery!"

"It'll be fine!" WALL-E held up another pillow as he hit the ceiling, "Oof! We have to do _something_ to occupy the time!"

"Yeah, but..."

"Pleeease, Mom?"

EVE looked back behind her. The computers could be protected with a special shield, designed to decrease damage during turbulence. It was highly advanced...

WALL-E threw another pillow at her.

"Ack!" EVE put on her game face as she activated the shielding, "Oh, it's ON!"

* * *

One pillow fight later, and EVE noticed the computer give a signal. V-GR would land soon.

"Help!" WALL-E waved his arms from inside a closet, "I'm stuck!"

"Comin'!" Willow pushed herself across the room, pulling her dad free.

"Okay, we're preparing to land..." EVE widened her eyes, "Whoa..."

"What is it?" Willow jumped to the console, "Whoa..."

This planet was covered in technology. From atmosphere to underground, there wasn't a speck of organic nature on the futuristic alien planet.

"We won't be able to land!" EVE cried, "They'll see us!"

"What'll we do?" WALL-E floated over to join them, "Can we hide somehow?"

"I don't think so...this is some odd tech..." EVE began to furiously type commands, "I think I have an idea, though..."

An energy shield surrounded their space pod before hot plasma flew off it in sparks. EVE turned one of the dials up to max.

They landed on one giant building, though comparatively, it was one of the smaller buildings around them. There were many flying vehicles out in the air.

The three robots exited the pod, and what a sight it was.

All the buildings were strangely, though very artistically shaped, with varying cool colors like blue and green. Robots were in ample supply, though the main attraction were the aliens. EVE's sensor was telling her that they were organic, but they didn't look like they were. They almost looked human, but they had skin colors like paper-white pale or charcoal-black, and their ears were pointed. Overall, there was just a lot going on all at the same time.

"Oh my gosh!" Willow looked all around, "How will we ever find V-Gr in all this chaos!?"

"Calm down." EVE said, "I'm looking."

Her sensor glazed over everyone, searching for the familiar robot she knew so well. Her eyes found him and locked on.

"There!" EVE took WALL-E in her arms and bolted, Willow following close behind, hopping down to the crowded street. V-GR seemed to carry an air of desolation with him, with his back hunched over and his mouth in a deep frown, and remembering Willow's last conversation with him, it wasn't hard to imagine why.

"Is that him?" WALL-E asked, "He looks so sad!"

"Oh yeah, you still don't remember, do you, Dad?" Willow ran her thumb over the teeniest singe on her screen as she watched him run, remembering the soft tingling that chilled her to the code.

"Heheh..." WALL-E spoke as they turned another corner, "This reminds me of when I chased after your mother on the Axiom."

EVE rolled her eyes, "How appropriate..."

* * *

V-GR finally ducked into what looked to be a stadium, but it had the feel of a courthouse. EVE kept hearing talk from nearby aliens, but despite flipping through every language in her database, she couldn't pinpoint what they were saying. To EVE's trained ears however, it sounded just a bit like German.

EVE set her husband down inside, "Okay, I need to find a way to download their language. You two wait here."

She zoomed off as Willow glanced further in. V-GR had ducked into a room labeled with bold lettering that almost resembled Korean. Some robots were bustling about, tending to aliens or chatting amongst each other. Willow huddled close to her father, feeling apprehensive about this whole situation.

It was about fifteen minutes before EVE finally returned, "Okay, got it. Which room is V-Gr in?"

Willow pointed to the room with block lettering.

EVE sounded out, "Trial room? How does that work?"

 **"Excuse me, Miss."** one of the aliens approached her. She had black hair, **"Will you be watching the trial today?"**

 **"I will be."** EVE replied seamlessly, **"If you don't mind me asking, who will be tried?"**

 **"I like your politeness."** the alien nodded with a small smile, **"The trial today is for Miss V-Gr of Danglstan, tried for crimes against the empress. It'll be quite a trial, I just know it."**

 _Miss_ V-GR?

EVE was confused by all that, but she didn't want to raise suspicion, **"Thank you."**

 **"You'd better get inside soon. All the seats will be taken."** and with that, she promptly walked away.

"What'd she say, Mom?"

"Don't worry about that. Let's just get inside."

* * *

The stadium was packed, with everyone bustling about excitedly. This was quite an event, that was for sure, but what EVE didn't understand was all the fuss over a court case. She knew how court cases worked, they were mostly kept under wraps during the whole affair, so why was this being treated like it was a mere ball game?

EVE meanwhile took this time to upload the language to Willow's database. It took a while, mostly due to Willow's learning disability, but it was finished before the event could start.

"Oo! I can understand!" Willow frowned, "Why are they all so condescending?"

 **"ORDER!"**

The judge had arrived. He didn't have a gavel, but he did have a microphone. Another microphone, located smack-dab in the middle of the stadium, is where V-GR stepped up, looking ashamed. EVE noticed that there was only a judge. There was no jury to be seen anywhere.

 **"Miss V-Gr of Danglstan, you are being tried today for crimes against the empress. How do you plead?"**

V-GR closed his eyes, which were blood-red, **"Guilty..."**

Everyone gasped in shock.

 **"And why is that!?"** the judge asked incredulously.

 **"Because I** ** _am_** **guilty. I'm just hoping you'll give me my punishment and leave Earth alone."**

Everyone in the stadium looked at V-GR like he'd just murdered someone.

 **"B-but, Ma'am! The Empress's wish is to seize control of the planet Earth! Why would you ever defy the mistress?"**

 **"She already owns this entire planet! Isn't that enough!?"** V-GR huffed, **"Besides, I want Earth to stay intact. It's such a beautiful planet, and the people there are so nice! I can't simply take it all away from them!"**

Willow's heart melted.

 **"But the mistress demands it! She gets what she wants, remember!?"**

 **"I can't!"** V-GR rubbed his screen furiously, **"I-I met someone there..."**

EVE could feel the fear radiating out of the audience.

 **"You...you did what?"**

V-GR really started crying then, **"She's perfect in every way...I...I love her so much...she trusted me with everything...and she didn't even condemn me when I left..."**

Willow knew who he was talking about, and it made her shake with silent sobs.

 **"That is the most dispicable thing I've ever heard in my life! Falling in love!? With an alien!? And one of the same gender as yourself, no less! You are truly a moot case..."**

V-GR didn't respond as he continued to cry. EVE and Willow didn't get what they were talking about, and why did the judge keep calling V-GR a she?

 **"Guilty!"** the judge declared, **"The punishment; death!"**


	6. Chapter 6

_NOOO!_ Willow screamed in Binary, using her super jumping ability to get over all the occupants of the stadium right to the center.

 _WILLOW!_ EVE tried to stop her.

Willow stood protectively in front of V-GR, switching her tongue, **"I won't let you kill him!"**

"Willow!?" V-GR was horrified, "What are you doing here!?"

EVE carried WALL-E down to protect her daughter.

 **"What is the meaning of this!?"**

 **"You won't kill him! You won't!"** the entire stadium watched breathlessly as Willow defended V-GR, **"He's mine! I love him! You will not lay a finger on him!"**

"Willow!" V-GR hissed, "You can't be here! They'll kill you too!"

"I don't care! I love you too much to let them take you from me!"

 **"Is that...English!?"** the judge looked like he'd just _witnessed_ a murder, **"Death by draining!"**

 **"No! NO!"** V-GR yelled, **"ANYTHING BUT THAT! DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH ME, BUT DON'T HURT WILLOW!"**

 **"Stop."**

Everyone froze at the sound of the velvety voice.

One cloaked person in the crowd stood, letting the cloak fall aside. She was maybe 7 feet tall, with sleek dark red hair and a leathery-red dress. She had a dark grey skin tone, and her black eyes were piercing with legendary determination.

The judge stuttered, **"M-M-Mistress!"**

 **"I want the four of those robots at my estate. I will deliver the punishment myself."**

 **"Yes, Mistress. Your wish is law."**

Willow shrunk as she, V-GR, and her parents were taken away, put on a transport pod to sail off through the sky, while everyone who passed by stared at them with angry fervor.

Willow was quiet as she sat beside V-GR, the window blurring from the speed at which they traveled. EVE relayed the event to WALL-E, since he hadn't understood most of it, while the other two sat in uncomfortable silence. It was almost as intense as the situation itself. Finally, V-GR drew in a breath.

"How?"

Willow blinked, "Hm?"

"How did you remember?" V-GR looked at her sadly, "I thought I removed all traces of myself..."

"I love you." Willow replied, "I held onto you in my mind. It was your kiss that helped me remember, actually."

"Darn, that was my fault." V-GR let his forehead rest in his palm, "I just wanted to feel that before I died..."

"We won't die." Willow took his free hand, "We'll get out of this."

"No we won't!" V-GR said in frustration, "I don't think you understand the situation! This planet has very strict protocols! We are not leaving! They're going to destroy me! And now they'll destroy you too!"

He was deep in despair, that much was clear.

Willow didn't know how to respond, "Why would I want to live without you?"

V-GR shivered, his eyes shifting to a lighter red color, "You know...if you were able to resist my data override so easily and so quickly..." he let a smile cross his lips, "...You must really love me..."

Willow beamed, "See? I told you! Remember when you fell into the lake and made me laugh? Or when you pushed me on that tire swing? Or even when you dove out of a hover pod with me twenty times? I held onto that feeling as it went from dire attraction to warm fondness. You treated me like a princess." she gave him her warmest smile, "How could I forget something like that?"

V-GR laughed, his eyes turning back to misty blue, "Fair enough...I could never forget you either..."

"By the way." Willow asked, "Why did they keep calling you a girl? You aren't female, are you?"

He sighed, his eyes turning back to pale pink, "No...actually...I was built as a girl..."

Willow started, "You were?"

"Yeah." V-GR reached into a small compartment in the tank on his back, "Here. Look at this."

It was a photograph. Willow took it from him and inpected it in her hands. It showed V-GR, but with more noticeable curves and a metal hair piece, like a bob style. He also overall looked smaller and more feminine, though in Willow's eyes, he was just as beautiful then as he is now.

"My creators disowned me when they saw I had transfered into a boy, but I was so sick of being called a she! It bothered me so much, it just didn't feel right!" he lamented, "That's another reason I love your planet so much. The tolerance for those outside common convention is astounding!"

Willow smiled, "You were still beautiful."

"Thank you." he was sad again as he took the picture back, "You aren't disgusted by me now, are you?"

"What!? Of course not!" Willow retorted, "Besides, gender for robots on Earth is more of an abstract concept than a strict code. Many robots are bisexual in fact, including me. But even if I only liked masculine robots, you identify as a man, correct? To me, you are one. So why worry about what you were born as? What matters is how you are now, right?"

V-GR grabbed her and held her to his chest, "I love you so much...no one has ever accepted me as I am...not even my own parents..."

Willow was astounded, "I love you too..."

V-GR brought her visor to his own, "At least we got to be with each other before the end..."

"Don't say that..." Willow mumbled, "We'll get out of this somehow..."

"No we won't...I already told you that..."

"Hush, V-Gr..." Willow rested her head underneath his, "If we do die, I want to die with some hope...but I'm positive we will get out..."

"Oh?" V-GR nuzzled her gently, "And why is that?"

"Because..." she looked up, "...We have each other..."

V-GR still felt hopeless, but he didn't argue further, "Very well...my dear Willow..."

She closed her eyes as V-GR kissed her, long and slow. It shook her senses as it tingled from screen to tread. It was a better feeling than she'd ever experienced thus far, even falling from the sky with him right beside her. It felt like waking up after a coma, alive and aware.

She held him close as they approached their imminent doom, "I love you, V-Gr..."

His breath hitched as he cradled her gently, "I love you too, Willow..."


	7. Chapter 7

They arrived all too soon. The Empress's estate looked more like a castle, colossal in size and impressive in artistic direction. It reminded Willow of a haunted castle from one of her Aunt Aya's old movies. The room they were taken to was metallic, almost with a bluish tint. The empress stood over them as they were thrown in, both couples clinging to each other for dear life.

EVE couldn't get off the ground again, **"What's the meaning of this!?"**

The empress smiled cruelly, **"I don't think you understand...to everyone, I am Mistress. Please address me as such."**

 **"I don't have to do that!"** EVE held onto WALL-E fearfully, **"You trample everyone to raise yourself higher! It's horrible!"**

"Eve! Shut up!" V-GR hissed.

 **"Oh...so that's how it's going to be, huh?"**

EVE flinched, "Ow..."

 **"You see? This is what happens to those who defy me..."**

EVE felt a boiling sensation rise through her system explosively. It felt like being struck by lightning, except it came slowly, rising like bile in a broken computer.

A power surge.

EVE screamed enough to rattle her own head.

"EVE!" WALL-E held her as she shook in agony, "Stop! Please stop!"

"MOM!" Willow cried, **"Let them go, please! They haven't done anything wrong!"**

 **"Haven't done anything wrong, you say?"** the empress chuckled, **"All who defy me are subject to fair punishment."**

 **"But this isn't fair! Stop this! You'll only make it worse!"**

 **"You set foot on my empire! You are subject to punishment!"**

Willow shrunk as she felt dread settle in the pit of her chamber.

"You guys. There's nothing that will change her mind." V-GR held Willow tightly, "It will only make the punishment worse."

 **"Stop talking in that foul language."** the empress scolded, **"Put them away. I'll punish them after lunch."**

Willow cried as she was torn away from V-GR. She struggled against the guards as they locked her in a cage with her mother. Her father and V-GR were locked together across the room from them. The guards left, closing the door loudly and shrouding the room in darkness. Willow trembled with fear.

"Mama..." she hugged EVE, who was lying on the ground, "I'm scared..."

"Sh...it's okay...I'm here..." EVE stroked the top of Willow's head as she lay beside her.

"So...uh..." WALL-E rapped his knuckles together, "Who are you?"

"Ah. So you don't remember me." V-GR smiled, "Figures. Sorry I can't restore the data I overrode. My name is V-Gr."

"Wall-E." he shook V-GR's hand.

"Nice to meet you again." V-GR replied, "I love your daughter."

"Yeah, I freaken noticed."

Willow laughed in spite of herself.

"At least she's with her mom." V-GR remarked.

"Yeah..." WALL-E called out to her, "I miss you, Evah!"

"I miss you too, Wall-E!"

Willow giggled, "You guys..."

WALL-E shrugged, "What?"

EVE looked around the room, _Hang on..._

She serveyed the layout of the area as she found the strength to hover into the air, her screen glitching a bit as she focused on staying conscious. She checked the door mechanism, pressing one of her hands to the magnetic lock.

"What's wrong, Mom?"

EVE narrowed her eyes critically as she sent a surge through the lock. It released, "Ugh..." she fell to the floor with a loud _thud!_

"Mom!?" Willow lifted her up.

"Sorry..." it took a moment for EVE's thrusters to come back online, "My head still feels a bit hazy..."

Willow took her hand, leading her from the cell, "Once more?"

"Okay..." EVE sent another surge through the lock on the other cage, almost falling into stasis.

"Eve..." WALL-E swept her up lovingly, "...I'm so happy you're okay..."

"Mm..." she replied, nuzzling into him.

"What's the plan, Mom?" Willow asked.

"Escape through the vent." she weakly pointed to a grate in the ceiling, "It goes back outside. My internal map says our pod is nearby."

"You have an internal map?" V-GR asked.

"Yeah." EVE stroked her husband's solar charge display, "Sorry, Wall-E. You'll have to carry me."

"Don't say another word, my queen." WALL-E swooned as he nuzzled her affectionately, "I'll carry you all the way back home."

"Aw..." EVE blushed, giggling as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well if we're going to escape, let's hurry!" V-GR jumped up to the grate, pulling it loose, "We don't have much time!"

 **"The prisoners are escaping!"**

EVE cursed, looking all around as the other three bolted. Her regenerative battery was faulty. If she didn't get to an emergency charger, it would take a long time to recover from the surge the empress sent through her system. Not even her cannon was working.

"Eve, can you not shoot?" WALL-E asked.

"No. It's locked up."

"Look out, V-GR!" Willow shouted.

"Huh?" he looked behind him, realizing a plasma blast about to shoot from a cannon. He jumped to the side just as it shot. It grazed his shoulder, "Whew...that was close..." V-GR stood up, straightening his floating head, "Run!"

They were backed into a corner.

V-GR grabbed Willow, throwing her onto a high-off ledge and taking EVE, "Come on, Wall-E!"

WALL-E handed off his wife as he began to climb, the enemies advancing with crazy weapons. For some reason, they only shot a few warning signals the whole way, easy enough to dodge if they came too close.

"Dad!" Willow reached down to take his hand, pulling him up to safety.

 **"Why are they helping each other!?"** someone shouted.

 **"Wouldn't it be more efficient to just save themselves!?"** another added.

 **"That doesn't make any sense! How do they survive with such crippling kindness!?"**

Willow let her dad pull her up another ledge, **"We're kind because we care! Because we're a family! We survive off the love of each other!"**

 **"The love of each other?"** an alien looked at another, skeptical.

 **"How does that work?"** the other one looked at the first, **"Do we love each other?"**

 **"We** ** _did..."_** the other one frowned, **"Once..."**

 **"Yeah..."** a third joined in, **"A long time ago..."**

Willow beamed, **"We work together! Because individually, we are weak! But together! We are strong!"** Willow held her mother as they got to the top of the building, **"Could my mom have gotten up here without our help!?"**

They considered this.

 **"They didn't surrender when we shot them..."**

 **"They didn't leave the small white one to die...**

 **"They helped and survived with each other..."**

 **"They got to the top, and they're all alive!"**

Willow laughed as they opened the space pod's door, **"That's right! You got it!"**

The aliens looked amongst themselves, smiling with fond nostalgia as they began to hug their loved ones. Some of them even kissed, a few of the same gender in fact.

Willow's smile fell, "We have to come back for them..."

"We will! I promise!" V-GR escorted them inside, "But first we need reinforcement."

EVE smiled with them, but then her eyes caught something in the crowd. The Empress had shown up, and her black eyes began to glow red.

She caught the heat of the surge before it actually came.

But it wasn't aimed at her.

"V-Gr!" she realized.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

The empress rose her hand.

"V-GR! LOOK OUT!"

She jumped...

WALL-E saw just as the pod was ready to launch...

EVE took the surge, shutting down and rolling off the side of the building...

She fell into the crowd down below...

The rocket launched...

 _"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVE!"_


	8. Chapter 8

A piece of Willow shrivelled up and died, "MOOOOOM!" she panicked as she grabbed V-GR's arm, "We have to go back! That's my mother!"

V-GR grimaced.

"Please!" WALL-E added, "That's my wife! We can't just leave her there!"

"I can't!" V-GR lamented, "Even if this pod was capable of flipping a complete one eighty, we can't face the empress by ourselves! We have to go back to Earth for help!"

"Then hurry!" Willow and WALL-E yelled at once.

"Okay! Maximum overdrive!" V-GR shifted the pod until it had reached its fastest speed; just under the speed of light.

It still took them an hour to get home, seeing as they had to speed up and slow down and go around other planets and whatnot. It had taken longer to get there in the first place, but it felt agonisingly longer now because before, pillow fight, and now, EVE was possibly dead. It wasn't good for anyone's nerves.

 _Finally_...the pod landed.

"Okay!" V-GR got everyone outside, "Gather allies! Anyone strong enough to fight! _Go!"_

Willow commed all her aunts, "Everyone! I need help!"

 _"Wil, is that you? What's wrong!?"_ Leah asked.

"Is someone attacking!?" Ruby yelled.

"N-no! It's Mom! She's..." Willow hiccuped, choking on unshed sobs.

"She's what, Wil?" Aya urged.

"She's in danger! We have to save her!" Willow cried, "Bring everyone who can fight to the space station! And I mean everyone! Hurry!"

It didn't take long at all to gather everyone. In total, there were 11 robots; Willow V-GR and WALL-E, as well as Aya, Ruby, Rio, Leah, Rose, NOS-4-A2, Fletcher, and Fletcher's best friend, Darwin.

"What's happening!?" Nos exclaimed.

"Is Aunt Eve okay!?" Fletcher added.

"No time to explain!" V-GR said, "Just get everyone inside!"

They crowded into the pod and took off. Once they were safely on course, the non-flying robots began to float and V-GR addressed the group, "Listen, everyone. We're going back to my home planet."

"What? Weren't you built on Earth?" Rio asked.

V-GR sighed, "No. I was built by aliens."

"Aw! Sick!" Darwin fisted the air, "Are they tiny and gray with big heads and thin bodies!?"

V-GR's eyelids flattened, "No..."

Fletcher elbowed Darwin, "Ow! What!?"

"The point is, they've got Eve." V-GR swiftly brought the discussion back on track, "They're going to kill her if we don't hurry, so until we get there, lemme get you guys up to speed."

He explained what was happening, about the planet, its people, the empress, and what had happened throughout the day. He also took this opportunity to upload the universal planetary language to everyone so they wouldn't be in the dark while they were there. Even WALL-E got the language, albeit very slowly.

"So wait, who are you?" Ruby demanded.

"My name is V-Gr." he said, "I'm Wil's..."

"He's my boyfriend!" Willow finished.

Everyone stared.

V-GR blushed, "Uh, Willow..."

"Don't say anything!" Willow took his hand, lacing her fingers with his. She smiled up at him with a wink.

"Awww..." WALL-E choked, "My baby is all grown up!"

"Daaad!"

"Am I missing something here?" V-GR lifted Willow by their still-entwined hands.

"Yes!" Willow huffed, "This is how my parents say I love you!"

"Oh..." V-GR's eyes burned a light purple as he curled up, jumping to the ceiling and hooking his ankle in the strap of a bed. He cuddled Willow close to himself, "This is how _I_ say I love you..."

Willow closed her eyes as the thrum of V-GR's hydraulics soothed her.

"Don't disturb us until we get there..." V-GR said drowsily.

None of the others questioned it as they found their own ways to pass the time, like how Aya fell asleep in Nos' lap. Either way, Willow was perfectly content in the arms of her astronaut prince. It reminded her of when her mother held her and sang her to sleep when she'd had a nightmare...

Mom...

She really hoped that it wasn't too late.

ooo

"V-Gr? Willow?" Leah said.

"We're here, Dove..." Nos gently shook his wife awake.

V-GR looked behind him at Leah before he pulled his foot from the bed strap and drifted down to the control panel. He spun around and typed with one arm, his other still cradling his sweetheart.

Aya stretched her arms while V-GR said, "Landing initiative active. We should get there in about thirty seconds."

Ruby unsheathed her borderline nuclear weapon, "I'll kill anyone who tries to harm my sister!"

"Put that away!" V-GR exclaimed, "Don't shoot anyone unless they shoot first!"

"Ah, FIIINE!" Ruby made a show of putting the dangerous thing away, "But I WILL kill that empress lich!"

"Language, Ruby..." Aya rubbed her eyes.

"Enough, guys." all the fondness had melted from V-GR's eyes, replaced with salmon red, "We're almost there."

The gravity set in and everyone fell to the floor.

"Ugh..." Willow blinked, "Are we there?"

"We sure are, Sweet." V-GR set her on her treads, "We're not leaving without Eve. You guys ready?"

"Bring it on!" Ruby yelled, pumped.

"Here we go..." V-GR opened the door and bolted, "Go!"

Everyone followed suit, the flying robots carrying the ground robots. The people around them cheered.

 **"Go save your friend!"** they chanted, **"Go save your family!"**

 **"We will!"** Ruby yelled back with a grin, **"We'll bring her home safe and sound!"**

V-GR hit the ground running, "This way!"

The aliens cleared a path as everyone went as fast as they could, bolting towards the Empress's estate. They didn't have a moment to lose.

EVE needed them.


	9. Chapter 9

EVE let her eyes open in the pitch black darkness. She strained to see anything, noticing her arms were pinned to her sides and all of her systems were offline. She was upright, that much was clear, but how long had it been since her power surge? She couldn't really tell. Some kind of structure was holding her in place, giving her metal casing an odd feeling. An off-handed warning on her HUD told her it was an irritation on the metal of her skin.

EVE started. Robots have allergies?

 **"Hello."**

EVE's sensor latched onto something sinister, and her eyes narrowed, **"It's you..."**

The empress lit a candle, the resulting fire casting little light, **"How do you resist my control override, I wonder..."**

Control override? Well, that was like a power surge but directed at the brain, scrambling it until it was impossible to tell up from down. It confused the mind, forcing every function into offline mode. Is that why it was so easy to escape? Because they were immune? They _were_ aliens on this planet after all...

The empress began to pace, **"I'd like to tell you a story..."** she walked around the thing holding EVE in place, **"Once upon a time, there was a little girl who wanted the love of another girl...her village realized this, and in service to their gods, taught the girl how to love men instead...the girl saw the light after much trial and turmoil, and under the direction of her god, killed everyone..."**

EVE was confused, but she didn't interrupt.

 **"That little girl became the Mistress Klaudia, and under her direction, her planet became the most sophisticated in the galaxy. She discovered through robotics that she could suck the life from others to add to her own lifespan, and that's how she became the goddess of her land..."**

The empress knelt down in front of EVE, placing a finger under her chin, **"So, do you see?"**

EVE frowned, **"I'm sorry..."**

The empress flinched, like she'd been slapped, **"What!?"**

 **"You just wanted to be yourself, but everyone else bogged you down..."** EVE was still mad at her, but she really did sympathize, **"I'm sorry you had to hide your true self away to please everyone else..."**

 **"You..."** A tear fell down Klaudia's cheek, **"...you really understand...?"**

EVE smiled, **"Yes...it's okay, there's nothing wrong with loving the same gender..."**

Klaudia slumped, and EVE caught sight of a young girl with black hair underneath the evil empress facade, **"Y-you..."**

An explosion filled EVE's vision, killing the empress instantly.

"Mom!"

"Huh?"

EVE was released and hugged by Leah, "I'm so happy you're okay!"

She saw Ruby sheath her giant weapon, and EVE pulled away from her family, "What have you done!?" she jumped to the empress's body, **"Klaudia!? Klaudia! Can you hear me!?"**

She didn't respond. Her torso had been blown apart by one of Ruby's grenades.

"Klaudia..." EVE let go, hovering upright solemnly, "She just wanted to be accepted for who she was..."

Everyone paused, including Ruby.

A deep voice filled the air through a loudspeaker, "Too bad you're still not leaving..."

Explosions filled the throne room.

"LET'S GO!" EVE grabbed WALL-E, escorting everyone else out of the estate as it crumbled around them.

V-GR screamed as a piece of the ceiling fell on top of him.

"V-GR!" Willow grabbed his arm.

"Go, Wil! You'll die if you stay here!"

"I'm not leaving without you!" Willow cried.

"GET OUT!" V-GR pushed her away, "GO HOME! I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE!"

Willow tried to protest further, but EVE swept her up just as another block crushed his head.

"NOOO! VEE-JUUUUUR!"

They boarded their spacecraft with haste, all the while Willow's mechanical heart was shoved up her throat. She scrambled to the window as the pod launched into space, the whitish-blue atmosphere turning black as the stars appeared around them. A barrier surrounded the planet just as they broke gravity, drifting away from half of Willow's broken heart.

No more would she hold his hand or whisper excitedly in his ear...

No more would she fall from the sky with him right beside her...

No more would she feel safe and warm in his loving embrace...

No more would she feel the tingly singe on her visor...

"V-Gr..." Willow murmured, numbly pressing her face to the glass.

EVE sighed, "I'm sorry, Wil..." she hugged her daughter comfortingly from behind, "If it makes you feel better, I believe he's still alive..."

"No...that doesn't help..." Willow hugged herself, "It just means he's trapped there...what's going to happen to him...?"

No one could respond.

EVE held her daughter close to herself, beginning to sing a familiar melody. Willow knew she was just trying to cheer her up, but the lyrics made her think of herself and V-Gr. It made her feel hollow again. She had a scary feeling that she would have to get used to this feeling.

"Hello, down there...the morning made us sailors in the air...keeping the midnight stars held high...we are captains of the sky...waving goodbye..."

 _Waving goodbye..._

 _Goodbye..._


	10. Chapter 10

Willow swung her treads back and forth in the dead of night. EVE had left for V-GR's planet to collect information on the barrier around it, looking for a way to break through to the ground below. The rest of the family had gone back to their normal lives, but Willow had reached a stalemate. She was trapped, dead inside a moving robotic husk.

The lake below her reflected the moonlight beautifully. She wondered what it would feel like to jump in, to feel the cold water on all sides of her as she drifted to the bottom. What would the sky look like from down there? She almost wanted to find out...

"Willow?"

"Oh!" Willow scooted backwards on the ledge behind her house, "Hey, Dad..."

"You're still up?" he sat down beside his daughter.

Willow looked out across the lake, "I couldn't sleep..."

"Hm." WALL-E looked with her, "I understand...it's really hard for me to sleep without Eve..."

Willow gave a heavy sigh from her speaker, "Daddy?"

"Hm?"

"How did you cope?" she asked, "With being all alone?"

He froze.

"S-sorry..." Willow backpedaled, "Bad memories?"

He sighed sadly, looking down, "I don't know...I haven't had to think about it in a long time..."

The silence over them was heavy, as Willow was unwilling to break it.

"It's...interesting..." WALL-E looked down into the water, "The overwhelming silence didn't bother me at first because I had no conscious...it wasn't until the day before your mom came to Earth when I realized how lonely I was..."

He took her hand in the dark, "But after she shut down...after a few days of watching from a distance and meeting her officially...I...I realized that I could never be alone again..." he became wistful in his nostalgia, "That became all the more true when you came around...one of my worst fears is waking up in my truck one day to find that all of this was just a dream...and I'm really just stuck on the destroyed planet...all alone...forever..."

"Daddy! That's rediculous!" Willow shook his shoulders, "We're here to stay! So don't worry about that!"

"I know, I know..." he wrapped one arm around her, "But that's why it's hard for me to sleep without Eve. I love her so much. When I woke up just now, the only indication that I wasn't dreaming is seeing your trinkets on the shelf and the space you sleep in."

"I see..." Willow leaned into her father, seeking comfort from him, "I miss V-Gr..."

"I know, Sweetie...I know..." WALL-E watched the sky with her, "We can miss them together..."

Willow still wanted to see the bottom of the lake, but there's no way she'd jump in with her dad there. She just took comfort in him with her, watching the night sky as it shifted from night to dawn.

* * *

"Wall-E? Willow?"

Willow's eyes opened groggily against the noonday sun, "Mom?"

"I'm back." EVE kissed WALL-E tenderly, "Wake up, Baby..."

"Eeeeve...?" WALL-E blinked, "Am I still dreaming...?"

"Nope! This is real!" EVE swung him around, "I missed you!"

"Ah...I missed you too..."

"Mama!"

EVE shifted WALL-E to her left arm so she could hold Willow in her right, "I'm glad to be home."

"Mom, did you find a way to get V-Gr back?"

"I don't know yet. The scan results are still being processed." she explained, "We'll know as soon as it's done."

Willow barely dared to hope. She loved V-GR so much now it hurt to feel him so far away. She wanted to see him again, to refresh him in her memory. She feared that she'd forget him.

It was a scary fear.

EVE seemed to sense her distress, "Come on. Let's see if M-O wants to play."

* * *

 _Willow?_

It had been awhile since M-O joined the family at the park. Normally, Willow would've laughed at M-O's silly behavior around the human kids, seeing as they were always dirty. But Willow didn't even smile this time.

M-O was saddened by this, _Willow..._

 _Just leave me alone, please?_ she responded, despondent.

M-O, in reply, jumped up onto the bench with her. He was different from her in every way, but she was his best friend's daughter. He was initially sour towards her, but it eventually turned into reluctant understanding and then acceptance. It was hard seeing someone who was spunky and outgoing cave in so suddenly.

It had a reasonable catalyst, but it was still jarring.

 _Willow...I'm sorry about V-Gr...but you can't sit here and mope forever..._

She turned her head away from him.

 _You remind me of someone, you know..._ M-O continued, _After we landed on Earth, your mom almost accidently killed herself. Everyone thought she wouldn't make it._

Willow had heard that story before. EVE was so mad at AUTO for what he had done to WALL-E that it caused her body to overheat lethally, but Wil didn't interject as M-O recounted the story.

 _Your dad was just like you are now. He caved in on himself, wanting to be left alone. I tried to reach out to him, but he just kept pushing us away. It was like he wasn't even himself anymore, like the person he'd come to be inside died along with EVE..._

Willow curled her fingers around the seat of the bench, _Okay? So what's your point?_

 _I think you know already._ M-O shrugged, _WALL-E finally let us in, and we shared his heartache. He smiled when we surrounded him with warm robot hugs!_

Willow didn't giggle at that like she normally would have, but she did manage a small smile, _You helped him cope..._

 _Exactly. EVE wasn't WALL-E's only friend by any means. That's even more true now! So, can I give you a friendship hug?_

Willow was skeptical, _I thought you didn't like dirt._

 _But you aren't dirty._ M-O replied, _Even if you were though, love is more important to me than dirt could ever be._

 _You would override your directive for me?_

 _Is WALL-E ever clean?_

Willow sighed, tucking her treads underneath herself, _Alright..._

"Woo!" M-O set his brush on top of Willow's body, nuzzling in his version of a hug. She instantly felt warmer inside. It still ached, but it was less noticeable now. It was nice.

 _Thanks, M-O..._

 _Mhm._

"Willow?"

Willow blinked, "Mom? Did you find it?"

"We did."

She gasped, "Th-then...?"

EVE picked her up swiftly, "Let's go save V-Gr."


	11. Chapter 11

_I'm coming too!_

 _M-O!_ EVE scolded him, _It's going to be dangerous! You have a life too!_

 _I don't care! I want to go with you!_ M-O argued, _I want to help!_

 _Mom. Let him come._ Willow stepped into the shuttle, _If he gets lost, Nos or Fletcher can find him._

EVE wanted to argue further, but Wil did have a point. M-O could take care of himself well enough, and it's not like the people of V-GR's planet were malicious.

She huffed, _Fine._

 _Woohoo!_ M-O jumped into their space craft.

EVE was completely done as she looked to the crowd outside, "Anyone else?"

* * *

WALL-E, EVE, Willow, M-O, Aya, Leah, Rio, Rose, Ruby, NOS-4-A2, Fletcher, and Darwin.

All of the above set off in the shuttle. EVE typed away on the control panel, pouring commands into the computer as they zipped through space. EVE slowed once they'd reached their destination, catching the planet's orbit.

"Okay..." EVE stabilized their current path, "Nos?"

"Hm? Yes?"

"You can break that barrier." EVE explained, "You don't even have to go feral. Just break it."

"Is it really that simple?" Willow questioned.

"They have no knowledge of energy vampires." EVE replied, "It won't be hard at all, but that _doesn't_ mean we should drop our guard! Stay on high-alert, everyone!"

She was right. It really didn't take much to break through once Nos got close to the giant energy shield.

EVE steered the shuttle to the ground, keeping level with the horizon as she landed atop one of the smaller buildings.

"Okay. You guys know what to do." EVE said, "Spread out in groups of two. Look for any signs of V-Gr. Go!"

Willow traveled with M-O, who was always constantly shifting his eyes around as people past by. Some of them smiled as they went, but it didn't help M-O's obvious nervousness.

 _M-O, are you okay?_ Willow lifted him by his blue backpack.

He scrubbed his screen furiously, _There's something in the air! My sensor keeps telling me it's a foreign contaminant! Why!? It's clouding up my vision!_

 _I'm sorry._ Willow carried him in one arm, not knowing what else to say.

"Ah!"

Willow stumbled backwards, **"Oh Jeez! I'm sorry!"**

She had run into a woman. Her skin was snow white and her hair was blonde. She also had icy blue eyes that shone like diamonds, and she seemed a fair bit older than the other aliens bustling about, with subtle wrinkles in her skin like laugh lines.

She frowned in distress, **"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!"**

 **"No, it's alright."** Willow saw M-O cower behind her, **"Are you in a hurry?"**

 **"No, I just wasn't paying attention...my only son is missing, and my husband left...don't worry about it, it's not your problem..."**

"Wait..." Willow wondered, **"Who's your son?"**

 **"M-my son?"** she seemed taken aback by the question, **"Wh-why do you want to know?"**

 **"Because I'm looking for someone too. Someone named V-Gr."**

 **"You know my son!?"** the woman seemed horrified by that, **"How!? Why!?"**

 **"I love him."** Willow said seriously, **"That's why. Come on, M-O."**

 _Huh? Oh, right._

The woman didn't follow them, but Willow did notice she wasn't moving. She seemed saddened by something, though Wil could only imagine what.

 _I thought his parents hated him..._ she thought to herself...

* * *

 **"What are you doing here, bucket?**

Willow froze at the sound of the gruff voice; A muscular man with jet black skin, **"You got any tokans?"**

Willow shrunk, **"N-no..."**

 **"Eh. Figures. Com'ere."**

"Whoa!" Willow dodged his swiping hands as she scooped up M-O, "Gotta go fast!"

 **"Get back here!"**

She ducked into an alleyway, covering M-O's screen to hide his bright eyes from their pursuer. This scared M-O on a huge level, but he could barely see anyway and Willow was his friend. She was being gentle too, so he forced himself to hold still until the chaser lost them. Willow slowly relaxed.

 _You okay, M-O?_

 _U-um...y-y-yeah..._ M-O shuttered as he tried to clear his blurred vision (unsuccessfully).

 _I'm so sorry, M-O..._ Willow hugged him close, _Where did he come from? We need to get out of here..._

Something caught Willow's ear as she was turning to leave; a whimper. She spun around. Behind a broken pile of synthetic bricks was a huddled metal figure, with burning red eyes.

It was...!

"V-Gr!" Willow shook his shoulder, "V-Gr, is that really you!? What happened to you!?"

V-GR looked at her with overflowing hope, "Wil...ow...? **No, no...that's impossible..."**

"It's me!" Willow placed her hand on his cheek, "I'm really here! I came back for you!"

"W-Willow?" V-GR took her head in his hands, which were cold and clammy, "Oh, Willow...it's really you..."

"Sh...come here..." Willow gave him a one-armed side hug, since she was still holding M-O in her other arm.

"You...you're here..." he breathed, "I've been losing my mind...I kept thinking I saw you, but then you disappeared..."

"Shhh..." she replied, feeling warm in his arms, "It's okay...I'm here now...let's go..."

"Go? G-go where?"

Willow took his hand, "Home."

He seemed confused, "Home...?"

"Yeah, come on." Willow gently yanked on his arm, trying to get him to stand, "Get up! I can't carry you!"

He couldn't seem to get up.

Willow commed her mother, "Mom? I found him."

 _"You did?"_ EVE's voice warbled a bit over the call, _"Where are you?"_

"I don't know. I lost track of where I was going."

 _"That's okay. I can get Fletcher to sniff you out. Don't move!"_ she hung up.

Willow turned her attention back to V-GR, "What happened? Why are you hiding out here?"

"Scrap..." he rested his arms in his lap, "I've been chased mercilessly by gangs who are trying to rob me of my parts. On your planet, it would be called the black market."

"They sell parts on a black market?"

"Yeah, and it's quite profitable for those at the bottom of society, mostly those with black skin or people who are attracted to the same gender."

"That's horrible! Why!?"

"Found 'em!" Fletcher appeared just then with EVE.

"There you are!" EVE took M-O from Willow, _M-O? Are you okay?_

 _It's so dirty..._ M-O scrubbed his face vigorously, _It's too dirty!_

 _I'm sorry, M-O..._

"Come here, Buddy." Fletcher lifted V-GR onto his shoulders, "Ack! Could you tone your thoughts down a little bit please?"

"Let's hurry." EVE said, "Something sinister is going on around here. I don't like it."


	12. Chapter 12

Willow followed close behind her mother and her cousin, watching V-GR worriedly. He seemed more at ease now, but his eyes kept shifting back and forth. He was paranoid.

EVE set V-GR in the shuttle, "I'll call the others and then we can go."

"Um, you guys?" Fletcher panicked, "I can't contact my dad!"

"Huh?" Willow said, "What does that mean?"

"I can usually catch his signature and we talk to one another that way, but I can't feel him at all! I think something's really wrong!"

"Calm down, Fletcher." EVE took her nephew's shoulders, "We'll find him, okay?"

Fletcher sniffed, "Really?"

"Yeah, it'll be alright." EVE commed her sisters as she looked around, "Nos is missing. We've found V-Gr, so just look around for him. I'll join you shortly."

"You can telepathically communicate with your dad?" Willow asked.

"And my mom. I can sense her from here, she can't feel him either. Yeah, I'm worried too..."

"Come on." EVE locked up the shuttle to protect V-GR, "Let's go look for him."

"EEEVE!" Aya took her sister's hands, "I'm so worried about Nos! My head feels so empty without him! What if he's dead!?"

"Aya! We'll find him!" EVE reassured, "Come on."

She got the rest of her family together and began to search for Nos, sweeping her scanner over large buildings and groups of people. The other EVEs picked up on this and also used their scanners, covering huge portions of land together.

"Nos!" Aya pressed her cheek to one metal wall, "I can feel him in here! It's so weak!"

Fletcher gasped softly, his hands on the same wall, "He's alive, but he's not doing well."

"Is he close to the wall?" EVE asked.

"Um..." Aya concentrated, "No, he's not."

"Then stand back!" EVE unsheathed her ion cannon and shot the wall. Some random bystanders stopped to stare.

"Nossy!" Aya froze just inside.

"What's wrong?" Willow ducked into the building, "Oh..."

Nos was lying on the floor, chained to the far wall by his wrists and neck. Little sparks flew off the chain links, making Nos' skin give off a slight red glow like the metal was burning his skin. His right optic opened slightly. It was clear that he was exhausted.

"Dad!" Fletcher bolted to his side, "What happened to you!? Are you okay!?"

"Son." Nos grumbled, "Stand back."

EVE calmly scanned the chains, a critical expression on her face. Nos cringed against the bright light. EVE's scanner clicked off, "They're energy-depleting chains."

Aya frowned, "What?"

"They drain robots of their energy, leaving just enough to keep them awake...and aware..." EVE grimaced, "We can't get them off either. They'll drain us if we touch them."

"Can we turn them off?" Aya asked hopefully.

"Maybe. Lemme check."

EVE explored more of the building, looking for a control panel of sorts to disable the chains. The whole place was surprisingly empty, though EVE's sensors were telling her that the walls were hiding something. She finally found a large computer with a complex keyboard. It had only two files on its 500 terabyte hard drive; , and chain controls. It was obviously a set up.

EVE opened the "read me" file.

 ** _It doesn't matter if you leave with your friend. I will always hold a piece of everything you take with you._**

EVE didn't know what that meant, but it put her on edge. Who had written this?

Whatever. She released the chain control and hurried back to her family.

* * *

"Ugh..." Nos moaned in discomfort.

"Hush, it's okay." Aya said as EVE yanked the chains off.

"He's going to drift off if we don't get him any energy." EVE said.

"That's fine. We brought plenty of energy capsules." Aya tried to lift her husband.

"Lemme help, Mom." Fletcher draped one of Nos' arms over his shoulders, carrying him back to the shuttle.

EVE felt like they were being watched, so she hurried to get everyone out of there. They couldn't risk being ambushed.

Aya lay her husband on the floor and grabbed a box from a storage compartment in the wall. It was filled with fuel cells. She put one of them to Nos' lips and he bit into it gratefully.

"Good. That should help him get his strength back." EVE noticed V-GR was standing in front of the controls, looking very speculative. His digital brow was creased in concentration. He almost looked upset.

"V-Gr?" Willow strolled over to him, "Is everything alright?"

V-GR sighed, "We can't go home."

"What? Ugh!" EVE massaged her visor, "What is it this time!?"

"I felt something when you were all gone." V-GR explained, "It was familiar. A kind of deadly familiar."

"What was it?" Willow took his hand in her own, "Why does it scare you so much."

V-GR couldn't help himself from smiling, "Wil..." he stooped to pick her up and hold her close, "It was my father..."

"Huh!? Your father?"

"Yeah..." V-GR swayed back and forth on his feet, "My parents were both people - their names are Amery and Gregor - but they discovered that my mom was infertile. That's why they built me."

"That's what my parents did!" Darwin piped up, "I have a human brother, too!"

V-GR rolled his eyes, "Anyway, my dad built most of my components and parts, and within two months, they had a new little girl."

"A little girl?" Aya asked.

"Aren't you male?" Rio added.

"Or do you have a sister?" Ruby said.

"No, that girl was me." V-GR replied, still holding Willow, "You see, I'm transgender."

"Oh." Leah said, "I have a transgender friend back on Earth."

"Why do you think I love Earth so much?" V-GR pointed out, "When my parents found out, they were less than pleased. My dad was livid while my mom was sad. They kicked me out. Only when I left for Earth did I get any kind of redemption, but even then, I abandoned the plan when I fell in love..."

V-GR seemed lost in old memories, "But one thing is very clear; my father wants me to stay here."

"But why?" Willow rested her head on his shoulder, "Why would he keep you bound here when he kicked you out of his house?"

"Because he knows that if I leave, I will never come back. His plan is far more sinister than the empress's ever was, and that's only scratching the surface. He wants me to stay for a number of reasons, mostly revolving around me getting the punishment he believes I deserve, but even more than that..." V-GR glanced at his new family, "He doesn't want me to be happy."

EVE stepped up this time, "But why? What does he have against your happiness?"

V-GR took comfort from Willow, "I have a theory that he's simply prejudiced, and he was never truly happy himself so why should I be, but I really don't know."

"Well we can't just stay here! I have a province to run! I'm captain of the Axiom!"

V-GR grimaced as he held his love tighter, "If you really have to go, then leave me behind.

"What!?" Willow cried.

"It's the only way you'll be safe."

"No way! I'm not leaving without you!"

V-GR kissed the top of her head, "I was afraid you'd say that..."

"What!?" EVE was upset and baffled, "Wil, you can't be serious!"

"I am!" Willow exclaimed stubbornly, "I'll go home if V-GR can come too!"

"You know, Willow..." V-GR smiled, "I would never want to be happy without you..."

"Aw!" Willow cooed, "Same!"

"B-but..." EVE became afraid, "But that's my daughter! You can't just take her from me!"

"I'm sorry, Eve, but you heard her." V-GR stated simply, "Are you leaving or are you staying?"

It wasn't as simple as that. EVE _had_ to go. She was the captain, she had a duty elsewhere, but the thought of never seeing her daughter again was more than she could bear.

Finally, she turned to her sisters, "Rio? I want you to take over for me until we take care of V-GR's dad."

"What?" Rio frowned in concern, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Everyone else head back with her, except for Wall-E. Come back at the start of August. I'm sure we'll have figured it out by then."

"But that's four weeks!" Aya complained, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." EVE insisted, "Don't worry. We'll be okay."


	13. Chapter 13

Willow watched the shuttle take off, wavering for a bit until it disappeared. That was probably them going at light-speed to get back home.

"Okay." V-GR shifted Willow in his arms, "My house is over here. Follow me."

It was the same space pod as before, still decorated the same way in fact, resting in the shadow of a taller building. He ducked inside and allowed Willow's parents and M-O access before sealing off the entrance.

"Here we are." he finally set Willow down and picked up a book he'd been reading.

"It's so empty..." WALL-E remarked.

 _You say that like it's a bad thing!_ M-O huffed, (he hadn't wanted to leave with the others, which is why he stayed.) _The air is so clean in here!"_

V-GR's brow creased again.

"V-GR, I have a question for you." EVE crossed her arms, "Why can't you leave?"

"I had a feeling you'd want to know that..." it was clear he wasn't in a very good mood, "My dad has some remote control over me. If I get too far away from him, I'll switch off, just like that." V-GR snapped his fingers, "He built me after all. I'd wager he wants to reprogram me into a mindless slave or something."

"What? Why would he switch you off? Does he understand that we care about you?"

"I don't know! Okay!?" he snapped, "I never knew what his motivation was! He could be a psychopath for all I know!"

EVE blinked as V-GR rubbed his screen in frustration. He dropped the book he'd been holding, "I've never been free from that man...I reckon I never will be...I don't know what to do..."

Willow held his hand again, "It's okay. We're here for you. We'll figure this out together."

He snatched his hand away angrily, catching her off-guard.

"Just..." he breathed heavily through his ventilation system, "...just...leave me alone..."

Willow wanted to protest, but she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder, "That's enough, Wil. Just let him calm down."

Willow begrudgingly stayed put as V-GR wandered into his bedroom and locked the door behind him. She slumped, "Okay..."

"Okay." EVE repeated calmly, "It'll all be okay. Wall-E?"

"Huh?" he had boxed out of fear.

"I'm going to go gather some information." EVE headed towards the front door, "Do you want to come with me or stay here?"

WALL-E came out of his box-form, "Stay."

"Okay." EVE left, "I'll be back soon."

* * *

Willow sat outside V-GR's door, swaying her treads back and forth. Her dad sat next to her, understandably worried about his only child. She seemed so desolate, like she had forgotten what it's like to be happy.

"Willow?"

"Hm?"

"What are you thinking about?"

She didn't respond at first, just sorting through her cluttered thoughts. Finally, she sighed through her speaker, "What has V-Gr's dad done to him? What has caused him to cave in like this? Was he awful? Was he...abusive...?"

"I guess we don't know." WALL-E replied, "But whatever happened back then, it's come back to haunt him. Maybe you can remind him that he's not alone anymore. He has us now. He has you." he took his daughter's hand, "I can tell, you know. He looks at you the way Eve looks at me. You carry a fondness in your eyes that I always had for Eve."

Willow already knew that, "So what should I do?"

WALL-E knocked on the door behind him.

"What do you want?"

WALL-E pointed, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Um...V-GR?" Willow said timidly, "Can I come in?"

There was silence on the other side before they heard the lock click.

"You could have warned me..." Willow whispered, glaring.

WALL-E shrugged, getting up to wheel away.

Willow huffed in annoyance, releasing the door mechanism. It let her inside.

V-GR was lying on his back, one foot on his bent knee. He was reading another book.

"Hey." Willow jumped onto the bed, "What are you reading?"

"It's one of my favorite books." he turned the page, "It's about a boy who discovers he's a wizard after his eleventh birthday. He's taken away from his horrible aunt and uncle to go to a school of wizardry. It was a really popular series on your planet once upon a time."

"Oh yeah. Aunt Aya has those seven books on her shelf. She also has the movies, but Uncle Nos says they aren't as good."

"I haven't seen the movies." V-GR put the open book down on his chest, "Did you want to talk?"

"Well...kind of...but I don't know if you're in the mood..."

"It's fine...I've had time to calm down." he bookmarked the page in his book and set it aside, "I was just thinking about my parents. My father was one of the coolest guys I knew, but something changed him. A desire for power? I don't know, but he left for a long time. He returned after I transitioned into a male."

"So..." Willow glanced at his face, trying to read his expression, "He kicked you out?"

"Yes. He always saw me as his possession rather than his son, or his daughter. He never cared about me as a person." his breath hitched, "But he led me to believe I was special to him...I thought he loved me...he was my hero..."

Willow rolled over to hug him, overflowing with sympathy. She tried to think about that, her father was her hero too, but she could never imagine WALL-E turning on her like that. With scorn or disappointment or even anger. He had only ever looked at her with burning adoration and love. Even when she upset him, he tried to stay calm and speak evenly.

She tried to imagine him looking down on her, kicking her out on the street for something so minor...

She couldn't.

"I'm so sorry..." Willow hiccuped, "That must've been horrible..."

V-GR held her close to himself, "Why? Your dad is so nice! He couldn't turn on you!"

"Exactly! I can't imagine what you've been through!"

"Stop! Don't pity me!"

"It's not pity! It's sympathy!"

The were both reduced to a whimpering mess. V-GR pushed her away, "Just stop! Go away!"

"Why!? This isn't something you have to carry alone!"

"Because I don't want to make you sad!"

"I'm only sad because you are! Please let me stay!"

"No!" V-GR looked at her with such sharpness it terrified her, "Go away!"

Willow stared at him in disbelief.

"I'm not ready to drag everyone down with me! Just go home!"

Willow let concern replace her shock. She watched on for another moment before shimming closer and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Willow..." V-GR trembled as he returned her embrace. He didn't cry, but it was clear that he still wasn't happy either.

"Stop trying to push us away!" Willow exclaimed, "We'll get back to Earth together, okay!? I promise!"

V-GR growled under his breath, "Don't make a promise that you can't keep!"

"I _will_ keep it! You'll see!" Willow insisted, "I love you! Why wouldn't I at least try!?"

"I'm sorry, I just..." V-GR held on tighter, "I still love my father...even after everything he put me through, I can't bring myself to hate him..."

"I get that...I could never hate my parents either..."

"But even after I yelled at you...you stayed with me..."

"Very true..." Willow said, "It's very clear that you have a lot of inner pain, but you're stronger than trauma. Okay?"

He chuckled, "Did you just think of that?"

She giggled, her face buried in his chest, "Kind of...my Aunt Leah is a social worker specialising in traumatic experience. She says that a lot on the job."

"I see..." V-GR smiled to himself, "I think I have an idea."

"Oh?" Willow looked up at his face, "What is it?"

"We could disconnected me from my administrator and reinstall my operating system. It's risky, but I'll no longer have any ties here."

"You have an administrator?" Willow asked in bewilderment.

"I wish I didn't."

"So that's how your dad has control over you?"

"Kind of. At this point, I'm willing to try anything. Can you monitor the computer while I'm out?"

"What!? No! Let my mom do it! Or we can wait for Leah! She's a computer whiz!"

"If that makes you feel better, but I still want you there. Okay?"

Willow started to protest further, but she gave up, "Alright. Have it your way."

"Thank you..." V-GR relaxed, "I love you, Willow..."

"I love you, V-Gr..."

Neither one of them wanted to leave, so instead they stayed together for the next few hours, just soaking in the relaxing comfort of each other. They would deal with everything else later.

It could wait.


	14. Chapter 14

"Okay..." EVE was typing vigorously, "First we close off the circuit capacitors and then we delete the cache recovery files. All other data will be backed up and stored for later." she surveyed her work, "No wait, that's not right..."

"How long will this take?" Willow asked.

M-O answered for her, _It shouldn't take long. Leah could probably do it faster, but EVE is still quite efficient._

"You got that right!" EVE hit the enter key, "That should do it. I'll stay in case there's an issue."

"Good idea." V-GR lay his head back, "I'll be in standby mode the whole time, and if something goes wrong, don't be afraid to abort."

"Right." EVE pushed a dial up, "Almost..."

V-GR's eyes glazed over as code flashed across the computer monitor. There were trillions of tiny ones and zeros, all switching around and flipping back and forth from his changing thoughts. A sentient mind really needed a lot of information.

"Ow!" V-GR flinched.

EVE cursed, "Something's wrong! Stop! Abort!"

"V-Gr!?" Willow watched his eyes flicker.

"Ow...ow...ow..." V-GR whimpered, clutching his chest.

 _What happened!?_ M-O exclaimed.

EVE glared at the screen, "Someone blocked it."

 _From the outside!?_ M-O glanced behind him, _How!? It's a closed server!_

"My dad is experienced!" V-GR gasped, "He built me after all!"

"That's not fair!" Willow exclaimed, "Why is he doing that!?"

V-GR blinked as he began to relax. The pain was waning, "Aw jeez...Haaa...okay...I don't know why he's so desparate. I should talk to him."

 _You think that would help!?_

"Hm, maybe..." V-GR leaned forward, "I have another idea. I'm going to get him whatever he wants, or otherwise get rid of him, and then we can isolate my program. Hopefully it won't take too much longer."

 _B-but..._ M-O looked at the screen, which was now blank, _Ugh...my eyes..._

"M-O, you need to go home." Willow said, "It isn't safe for you here. You're practically blind outside with your sensor still on."

 _No! You guys are my friends!_ M-O ran his spinning brush over his eyes, _I'll be fine!_

"M-O..." EVE said.

 _I'm serious!_ M-O shook his head, _Ugh!_

V-GR laughed.

 _Huh?_ M-O glared at him, _What?_

"You are so cute!"

 _Wha-shut up!_

"Okay." EVE tried hard to not smile, "There's no need for this."

 _Stop! I'm not cute!_ M-O pouted.

Willow giggled, "Of course not, M-O..."

 _I am_ not _cute!_

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, **_"V-Gr? Are you here?"_**

V-GR's eyes widened, **"Mom!?"**

M-O sighed in relief.

 ** _"Will you let me in, please? I want to talk!"_**

V-GR sat back again, his eyes still reflecting bewilderment, "Let her in."

M-O jumped to the door mechanism, releasing the lock (he was grateful for the distraction).

 **"V-Gr!"** the same blonde-haired woman from before entered the pod, **"I'm so sorry! I should have done something when Gregor kicked you out! But I did nothing!"**

 **"Mom..."** V-GR stepped from his chair, **"Mom...it's really you!"**

He ran to embrace her.

* * *

 _It had happened again. That feeling. The feeling that V-GR had been built wrong, like her program had a fatal glitch and was punishing her for it._

 _"V-Gr? Is something wrong?"_

 _V-GR buried her face in her hands, seated on the sofa, "I don't know what's wrong with me..."_

 _"Huh?" V-GR's mom sat down next to him, "What do you mean?"_

 _V-GR took a shaking breath, "I don't like this...my friends don't seem to get it...I'm a freak..."_

 _"What do you mean, Sweetie?"_

 _"I don't want to be a girl!" she exclaimed, "I don't get it! At work or at home, the feeling won't go away! Why do I feel so wrong in my own skin!?"_

 _"V-Gr!" V-GR's mom hurried to stop her, "Don't talk like that! Your father might hear!"_

 _V-GR sucked in a breath of air, "Sorry...it's just so frustrating! Why am I like this!?"_

 _"I don't know, but it shouldn't be a hard glitch to fix. Listen, don't think too much about it, okay? Gregor will be home in one week, so don't worry too much. He'll fix you up no problem."_

 _V-GR cringed, "I should've known you wouldn't understand..."_

 _She stormed out of the house without so much as a glance behind her._

* * *

 **"V-Gr!"** tears spilled from Amery's eyes as she hugged him, **"My son! You're alive!"**

 **"Yes! Yes, I'm your son!"** V-GR laughed with glee, **"I'm your son!"**

 **"I should have _never_ let you go..."** she pulled away, _**"It was the biggest mistake I've ever made! Can we start over? Please?"**_

V-GR's smile fell, **"Ugh...I don't know what to say to that..."**

 **"Excuse me, who are you?"** EVE asked.

 **"Oh, sorry. My name is Amery."** she said, **"I'm V-Gr's mother."**

 **"Right. He told us about you."** EVE replied, **"Do you know where his father would be?"**

 **"I know where he is."** Amery glanced out the window, **"He's in the center of the city, in the Gregor Tower. It's the tallest building on the planet."**

 **"Cool. Thank you."** EVE replied, **"V-Gr? Why don't you go on ahead. Talk to your father. I'll follow if you don't come back out."**

 **"Fair enough..."** V-GR sucked in a breath of air, coughing when it clogged his ventilation system, **"Oh jeez..."**

 **"Are you okay?"** Willow asked.

 **"Yeah, yeah...it's just...it's nothing, I'll be fine..."** V-GR held his mother's hands, **"Can you stay away? I don't know what he's planning, but you can come back to Earth with us if you want."**

 **"Thank you. I would love that. Good luck, Son."** Amery placed her palm to V-GR's cheek.

He held that hand to his face, wrapping his fingers around it, **"Thanks, Mom...**

 **I'll be alright..."**


	15. Chapter 15

V-GR waited in the shadow of the huge building, trying to calm his aching nerves. Well, it was now or never. He would get rid of his father somehow, one way or another. It was going to happen.

 _It's okay...it'll be okay..._ he kept telling himself.

He pushed the door open.

While he was stepping inside and surveying the area, many thoughts kept flowing through his head. It just didn't make any sense. Why would his father keep him bound here? If he wanted a mindless slave, couldn't he just build a new robot? And if that was the case, why had V-GR been given a conscious at all?

He supposed he would find out soon.

He came to a round room with many monitors. One cyborg with white hair sat in an office chair among them.

V-GR showed no emotion apart from creasing his brow, **"Hey..."**

The man didn't react.

 **"Hello?"** V-GR pushed the door open wider, **"Father, is that you?"**

 **"Come here."** he responded simply.

V-GR didn't know what he was going to do, but he kept his guard up as he approached the one monitor that was on. He recognised the footage; it was V-GR's fifth birthday party.

 **"Do you remember this?"** Gregor asked fondly.

 **"Of course I do..."** V-GR glanced as his father's expression. It was brimming with nostalgia.

 **"You were a shining star that day..."** Gregor watched the V-GR on screen tackle one of her old friends playfully, **"You were so happy then..."**

V-GR felt danger climb his skeletal system, **"Wh-what are you getting at?"**

He felt like he should run.

 **"My dear son..."**

Go. Now!

 **"I'm so sorry I didn't try to understand...I'm a terrible father, aren't I?"**

 **"Stop."** V-GR shook, **"You've done this before! You're going to try and win my sympathy just like you did before! Every time we meet you do this to me!"**

 **"V-Gr...my boy..."** Gregor was crying, **"I love you..."**

 **"No you don't! You've never loved me!"** V-GR stepped back as he felt old memories stab him painfully, **"You hate me! That's why you make me suffer! That's why you play all these mind games!"**

 **"Please don't go!"** Gregor sobbed, **"Don't leave me all alone here! You're all I have left!"**

 **"I'M NOT FALLING FOR IT THIS TIME!"** V-GR was at his wit's end, **"JUST LET ME GO HOME! LET ME BE WITH WILLOW! PLEASE! LET ME GO!"**

Gregor looked genuinely heart-wrenched. He sat back down, watching the screen play over and over again. V-GR felt his system lurch, and then, he was free.

 **"Then go..."** Gregor kept watching his daughter on the recording, b"I may be unhappy...but that doesn't mean we both have to be..."/b

V-GR blinked as he remembered;

 _"Daaad! You're embarrassing me in front of everyone!"_

 _"Well! What are father's for?"_

 _"Oh you stop that!"_

 _"You silly kid! Next time, you'll be the one messing with me!"_

 _"As if!"_

 _"Haha!"_

Gregor replayed his memoire again and again, **"I...I just want you to know that I'm sorry...I'll miss you, V-Gr..."**

V-GR stomped to the door, reaching to yank it closed like a rebellious teenager...

But...

He glanced over his shoulder. The man seemed legitimately devastated. How was he to simply leave him like that?

No! It's a trap! It's always a trap!

He was locked in an internal struggle for awhile. That man, who had screwed him over, reduced to a homeless robot in a land of prejudiced people, who had disowned him due to something little more than a social construct in robots, who had lied and abandoned everyone for stupid, selfish reasons...

And yet, seeing him so broken up right in front of him...V-GR didn't see any of that...he just saw a misunderstood man who was always beat down by the world.

He felt like a monster just leaving him there.

V-GR let his hand fall from the doorknob. He walked slowly back to the chair where his father still sat. Then he pulled his own chair from one of the nearby desks and sat down, watching his birthday party documentation loop continuously. He kept watching the tape with his father for several minutes, feeling a piece of himself heal over.

 **"Dad?"**

 **"Yes?"**

 **"Wh-why did you kick me out?"** V-GR had a feeling asking that was a mistake, but he had to know.

 **"I'm afraid that was little more than poor judgement."** he replied sadly, **"I was hasty in my actions. These people are very prejudiced, and I simply didn't want to tarnish my good name. I now see my error."**

That was practiced, V-GR noticed. It was too rehearsed. He had planned this.

 **"Why did you leave Mom?"**

 **"I didn't!"** Gregor snapped, **"I...I wanted to stay...but I was needed elsewhere..."**

Also rehearsed, but not as much.

 **"Okay..."** he still had questions, but he needed to go, **"Listen, Dad...my new family is waiting for me. I just needed to be freed."**

 **"What?"** Gregor turned to face him, taking awhile to come up with a response, **"Your new family?"**

 **"Yeah! Where do you think I found happiness!? They love me! Far more than you ever did!"** V-GR spat, standing, **"I don't need this. Goodbye, father."**

He felt a hand wrap around his wrist as he turned to go.

 **"Can I come too?"**

 **"What?"** V-GR pulled his wrist from Gregor's grasp, **"If you want to go to Earth, then get your own shuttle. I'm moving on."**

 **"Tell Amery I'm sorry?"**

 **"Fine."** V-GR strode back to the door, **"I guess I'll see you later."**

An explosion shook the wall.

"V-Gr!"

"Eve!?"

EVE cocked her cannon, "I was getting worried."

"Hold on! Wait!"

Gregor bolted to the nearby computer.

"Evah?" WALL-E and Willow had followed.

"Let's just go!" V-GR exclaimed, "I don't want to stir up trouble!"

The top of the building exploded, falling over them and blinding them with dust and metal.

EVE blinked through the dirty air, "Wall-E?"

Willow was there, just having escaped a building piece.

"Where's Wall-E!?" EVE scanned over everything, "Find him! Come on!"

V-GR looked over the rubble. Some safety measures had worked to prevent all of them from getting squashed, but one of them had noticeably gone missing. M-O had followed too, but he was busy brushing the dirt out of his eyes.

EVE's scanner caught something under the rubble, "No..." she frantically dug through the mess, "No no no no no!"

She found a box, crushed under everything, "No!"

WALL-E's body had crumpled under the crushing weight of the building. His head had been torn off, thrown to the side and broken. His cracked eyes were glassy and lifeless.

"No! NO!" EVE screamed, "NOOO!" she shook him uselessly, "WALL-E!"

"DADDY!" Willow joined her mother beside WALL-E's corpse, "NO!"

V-GR watched in silent despair as EVE continued to shake her husband and call his name while both mother and daughter cried over him, trying desperately to wake him up. It was the saddest thing he'd ever laid eyes on.

 _WALL-E!_ M-O shouted in anguish, _Wake up! WAKE UP!_

V-GR watched on one more minute before he heard Gregor behind him inhale, **"I didn't mean to do that."**

He wasn't even sorry.

V-GR ground his robotic teeth together, **"What did you mean to do?"**

 **"I-It was a safety procedure! I was guarding my own life from that maniac!"**

V-GR felt his anger spike even more, **"Eve is not a maniac!"** he spun on his father, his eyes blood-red, **"She's my friend! She was only concerned for me and you killed her husband! You'd better hope that there was no one in that building cuz I'm willing to bet they died too!"**

 **"It's fine!"** Gregor was panicking, **"They were all robots! They've got back-ups!"**

 ** _"WALL-E DOESN'T HAVE A BACK-UP!"_**

V-GR's processor was overheating from rage while realization painted Gregor's features. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out at first. He glanced at V-GR's new family, still begging their lost loved one to wake up.

He finally spoke, **"Oh..."**

 **"Ugh!"** V-GR hurried to grab all of WALL-E's parts, **"Just get out of my life..."** then he hurried off.

He didn't even look back.


	16. Chapter 16

V-GR worked the computer as he flitted within WALL-E's internal memory, trying to find anything that could be salvaged.

EVE was desolate, "I can't believe I let him die again..."

"Again?" V-GR glanced at her before going back to work.

"The first time was on the Axiom...he was trying to hold the holo detector open until I could get the plant in it, knowing it probably wouldn't open again..." she gasped painfully, "Oh, Wall-E..."

"Mom..." Willow took her mother's hand, "We'll figure something out...you'll see..."

V-GR ran a hand over his face, "We may be able to wake him up, but he'll need some replacement parts."

 _But all of his parts are back at home!_ M-O pointed out.

"I have the blueprints memorized." EVE took over the computer, uploading the information, "Do you have any machines that can produce them?"

"No, but I know where we can get some." V-GR promptly left to grab what he'd need.

He came back with a strange machine on wheels, "This'll do nicely."

"What is that?" EVE asked.

"It's a parts machine!" V-GR explained, "All it needs is a set of blueprints and it makes parts!"

"Why do people need a machine to make parts for them?" Willow said.

V-GR shrugged, "It's cheaper and easier than buying the parts." he connected the machine to the computer to give it the blueprints, "There. It shouldn't take too long now."

Once the machine created the parts, he set to work, reattaching WALL-E's binocular eyes to his neck and box body. Each optic was replaced, as well as each arm, wheel, and tread. The solar panels came last, flaring out around his collar.

V-GR was puzzled, "What are these?"

"Those go in the light of the sun." EVE told him, "It's how he gets his power."

"Oh...that's weird..." he remarked, "The sun is very weak out here. This planet used to be closer to a different star, but that was millions of years ago. Nowadays, most of our light is artificial."

"How powerful is it?" Willow asked.

"Very." V-GR reached onto a high shelf, "Here." he pulled down a lamp and switched it on, pointing it right at WALL-E.

Nothing happened at first.

 _Come on...come on..._ EVE prayed.

 _Beep._

They all perked. His solar charge display was glowing again.

 _Beep. Beep._ his charge filled up all the way, making his old start-up sound.

 _Bong!_

His head poked out of his body, his eyes straightening out and his solar panels tucked away. He sensed no garbage around him, so he stayed, unmoving. Unblinking. Unfeeling.

EVE frowned, "That's what I thought..." she clinked her face against his, "Can you hear me in there?"

No response.

"Wall-E?" EVE wiggled her fingers into his palm, "Baby?"

The other three watched as EVE planted a small kiss between his eyes, just like in Willow's bedtime story. They were dying of anticipation, waiting to see if WALL-E would wake up from whatever basic state he was in.

One minute...

Two minutes...

Three minutes...

EVE began to panic, "What? No! He should have woken up by now! Why won't he wake up!?"

She was getting really frustrated, "Wall-E! Don't do this to me! Don't worry me like this! It's not funny! Stop! PLEASE STOP DOING THAT!"

"Dad! Remember!?" Willow took his other hand, "I'm your daughter! We like to go treasure hunting together! You used to walk me to school every day! You always say I'm the most perfect child you could ever ask for!"

"Yes! Our child!" EVE begged, "Please remember our child!"

Nothing.

No hint of familiarity or longing or love. He didn't even blink.

Just a blank stare.

* * *

EVE never let go of WALL-E's hand. She couldn't leave him, it was like she was glued there.

Just watching his lifeless eyes without a speck of light in them...it really hurt...

But she had to stay.

"Mom!" Willow shook EVE's arm, "V-Gr's gone missing! He's not in his room!"

EVE barely heard her.

"Mom!? Answer me!"

EVE continued to stare into those dark optics, "...I can't..."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Willow blinked away digital tears, "Mom! I need your help! Are you just gonna stay here and let my love die too!? MOM! STOP THAT! IT'S ALREADY HARD ENOUGH THAT I LOST MY DAD! DON'T MAKE ME FEEL ALL ALONE!"

EVE finally blinked, glancing at her frantic daughter.

She turned back sadly, "I'm so sorry..." she whimpered, "But I can't help you right now..."

Willow felt like she'd been slapped.

She glared angrily at her dazed mom, "F-fine! If you won't help me...I'll just go on my own!" she made a point to slam the door behind her, though M-O was quick to follow suit.

 _Willow!_ M-O sped to her side as they kept going.

 _Oh...hey, M-O..._ Willow pat his head, _At least you're still with me..._

 _Wil, please don't be too hard on your mother. She's always like this when she believes your father is gone forever._

 _It's so scary though!_ Willow massaged her arms, _I'm used to seeing her take control of a situation, not get consumed by it!_

 _It's not her fault._ M-O came to a halt in front of her, forcing her to stop.

Willow narrowed her eyes skeptically, _What do you mean?_

M-O sighed, his eyes curving into a sad little frown, _Listen...you know when your dad got electrocuted by AUTO?_

 _Of course I do! Why?_

M-O averted his eyes, _I had followed them there. I was cleaning up WALL-E's tread marks as he chased after EVE, and they led me to him. Long story short, I jumped down the garbage disposal and found your mother trying to dislodge your injured father from a block of garbage. I didn't really see that though. I saw the robot who had led me on a wild goose chase across the entire ship and caused me such a headache! He made me leave my job because I couldn't leave all of that dirt! It was my directive!_

Willow giggled, _Aw! You're so cute!_

 _I am not!_ he harrumphed, _Anyway! I charged after him, but I ended up getting stuck in the door instead. The garbage airlock activated, which totally caught me off-guard, by the way. I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was actually charging into. I helped get your parents out, and I noticed..._ he paused, lost in his old memory, _...your dad, WALL-E...was dying..._

Willow frowned in sadness.

 _I wanted to scrub him as hard as I could! I wanted to make him sparkle for what he did to me! M-O sighed, ...but I couldn't...he was hurt...I just couldn't stay mad at him..._ M-O had to pause again to phrase the next part of his story, _...I only ended up cleaning his treads and wheels, because I was afraid of harming him further...that was enough for me...but..._

M-O turned around to look at the sky, brushing his face again to clear the debris, _...your mother...EVE...she was given the plant WALL-E had saved for her...he knew how important it was to her...she saw it...and..._

He put on a bright smile as he turned back to Willow, _...she tossed it aside..._

Willow cocked her head to the side, _So what's your point?_

 _Oh yeah...you've never had a directive, huh? Well...EVE defied hers...she threw the plant to the ground, and reached her hand out to him..._ M-O spun his brush around, a small habit of his, _...he pushed past her to get the plant again...it was very hard for him...you know, it's very clear that your parents think with their hearts, but for EVE, that wasn't the case at first. She had to gain a fondness for him first, and that love allowed her to overcome her directive...I'd never seen anything like it..._

Willow kept listening with curiosity.

 _I followed them to the holo detector, after the captain told them to take the plant there. I kept going with them, until I got buried under all those smelly humans._ M-O scrubbed his face again, _I heard something crunch, and I heard EVE scream 'No!'. I feared the worst. The ship was righted when the captain walked, and I finally saw EVE..._ he choked, _...I saw EVE...sh-she was trying to get the holo detector off of a broken WALL-E..._

Willow had heard this story a million times, but never like this.

 _She called for the plant...and...well...I went everywhere searching for it...all over the lido deck, I searched for it...it stood out in my vision because it was a foreign contaminant, and every fiber of my being wanted to scrub it raw because of my directive...but after everything I saw your parents go through for the sake of each other, I realized that they needed it intact. I raced for it and held it up..._

Evah!

 _M-O bounced on his wheel, trying to get her attention. VA-QM saw this and sucked it up, sneezing it closer. A human caught it, and everyone else began passing it forward. EVE saw the line as they brought the plant closer and closer, one last human throwing it for BR-LA to toss forward. EVE swept it up and put it in the scanner._

Plant origin verified.


	17. Chapter 17

M-O had his eyes closed. Willow was amazed. She had heard from her parents just what it took to defy a directive, but never in this kind of detail. M-O broke free from his basic programming just by watching them. He cared about them, and seeing them so sad hurt him greatly. More than seeing lots of dirt ever did.

 _I..._ M-O opened his eyes, _I saw almost everything after that...EVE blew a hole in the roof, after she fixed WALL-E...I saw the heartbroken expression on her face as she tried to reach out to him...I couldn't help but think...after everything we did...after everything we've been through...it wasn't enough...?_

Willow didn't know what to say.

 _You see? If it wasn't for WALL-E, EVE would still be just another mindless robot. Humanity might not even be the same at all! I wouldn't be the same at all! I know you want to hate your mother for leaving you like that, but being together for so many years has brought your parents closer than they ever have been. They've been married now for almost eighty years! EVE is broken. She's not herself right now. Please be patient with her._

Willow sighed.

 _M-O?_

 _Yes?_

 _Have you always wanted to tell me that story?_

 _Heh...well it was on my mind, yes. A new perspective never hurts, after all. I just wanted to tell you now because I wanted you to know what I know. She only met V-GR about a year ago, but she's practically known WALL-E for her entire life. Losing someone who broke you from your mindless robot ways can break you inside as well. Does that make sense?_

Willow started down the path again, _Yeah, it does. Honestly, I think I would be like that too if V-GR wasn't missing._

 _See? It always helps to understand something at its core._ M-O sped his pace, _Wow! I've been talking for way too long! Let's get to V-GR already!_

Willow smiled as she raced after her friend. She was still mad at her mom, but at least she understood where EVE was coming from now. Maybe she would be fine later.

She certainly hoped so anyway.

* * *

V-GR opened his eyes against the harsh darkness. The back of his head hurt a lot, and his wrists and ankles were very sore. He tried to move, but found himself bound to a metal chair. It scratched at his metal skin horribly. The chair was on its side, and the coldness of the floor on his cheek was ridiculously uncomfortable. Where even was he!?

He turned his head upwards, trying to adjust his eyes to the dark. There was one red light on the ceiling, and a control panel that was busted. He twisted his torso around, trying to get his hands free, but they were bound tightly.

 _Come on, V-GR! You've been in worse situations than this! Think!_ V-GR scolded himself, relaxing against the confides. He'd been stuck before. What could he use to his advantage?

"Got it!" he whispered. He yanked on his foot, switching off the stasis beam that acted as his thigh. He pushed the leg away from him, allowing room to slide his other foot free. He pressed the sole of his remaining foot to the seat of the chair, allowing his arms to slide from behind the backrest. He stepped over his bound wrists, scooting over to his dismembered leg and reattaching it carefully. Then, he stood up and used the same trick as before, letting one of his arms detach and fall to the floor. His other arm slid out of the cords and he grabbed the fallen arm to reattach it, pressing his ear to the door.

Some muffled scuffling could be heard on the outside, **_"...something else, okay? Ugh! Look, I've already resigned, I just need to get my daugh-my son over there! Just-!"_**

The door slid open. Gregor had a communication device to his ear. It slid from his hands and clattered to the floor.

V-GR crossed his arms, **"Can I go home now?"**

Gregor glared, **"No. Not yet. I still have arrangements to make. How did you get out, anyway?"**

 **"Why did you kidnap me!?"** V-GR tried to get past him, but he was blocked, **"What is your problem!? Doing something stupid and brash wasn't enough!?"**

 **"I can't live without my family!"** Gregor seemed angry, but he was also panicked and sad, **"You of all people should know that!"**

 **"You had your chance!"** V-GR shoved Gregor aside and strode at a brisk pace, **"I gave you many MANY chances to redeem yourself! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS TIME WILL BE ANY BETTER!?"**

Gregor grabbed his wrist with incredible strength.

 **"Ow!"** he struggled against the robotic arm of his father, **"Lemme go!"**

 **"I understand! I made mistakes!"** Gregor exclaimed, **"But I love you! Even if you don't believe me! I really do! You want to be my son!? Fine! Be my son! I don't care anymore!"** his voice wobbled with what felt like real and genuine emotion, **"I regret what I did, okay? Can't we just start over?"**

Can't we just start over...

 _Can't we just freaking...start...over..._

That seemed to be V-GR's breaking point.

He turned to his father, the pure rage emitting from his expression taking Gregor completely aback.

 **"Can't we just start over? Can't we just start over!? CAN'T WE JUST START OVER!?"** V-GR exploded, **_"YOU SHOULD'VE THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE YOU DENIED ME AS YOUR SON! BEFORE YOU FORCED ME TO LIVE ON THE STREET FOR THREE YEARS! BEFORE I FELL IN LOVE! BEFORE I FOUND WORK AND BLEW IT BECAUSE OF THE GIRL I FELL FOR AND THE WORLD THAT SHE'S FROM!_** **Before you blew off the top of your own building because you were 'feeling threatened'...and killed my love's father..."**

Gregor was beyond speechless; He was dumbfounded.

 **"How about this: You give me one reason why I shouldn't pound your face in this very moment, and I might give you another chance."**

Gregor's face lit up with hope, **"R-really?"**

 **"Go."**

 **"Oh, right."** Gregor cleared his throat, **"Listen, son. I never meant anything I did. I truly want to start over with you and Amery. Please?"**

Not, "I'm sorry..."

Not, "You didn't deserve any of that..."

Not, "I really do want you to be happy with your new family too..."

It's, "Give me another chance..."

V-GR massaged his forehead with one hand. Did he even know what he did?

Gregor frowned, **"V-Gr?"**

 **"I'm leaving..."**

 **"Wait!"** Gregor tightened his grip on V-GR's arm, **"Why do you hate me so much!? What did I do to drive you away like this!?"**

 **"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?"** V-GR yanked his arm from Gregor, scratching the metal across his forearm, **"OW! YOU MADE ME FEEL WORTHLESS! DON'T YOU REMEMBER ALL THOSE TIMES YOU TOLD ME TO STEP IT UP!? EVERY TIME YOU MADE ME FEEL LIKE NOTHING!? HOW YOU TREATED ME LIKE A PERSON AT FIRST ONLY TO CRUSH ME LATER!?"** V-GR rubbed the burning scratches along his arm, **"I felt so worthless! How was I to think any different when you practically pounded it into my head!?"**

Gregor frowned, **"So...you weren't being lazy?"**

 **"Okay. I've heard enough."** V-GR promptly left, yanking the door up front.

It wouldn't open.

 **"Huh?"**

 **"I can't let you go."**

 **"Why you little..."** V-GR was ready to beat up that stupid man.

"V-Gr!"

He gasped, "Willow!?"

 _What's up!?_ M-O swung into the room after jumping off Willow's back, _There's a backdoor to this crazy place!_

"Nice! I love you guys!" V-GR high-fived Willow on his way past.

 **"What!? What are you guys saying!?"** Gregor exclaimed.

 **"Sorry, Dad! I gotta go!"** V-GR saluted, grabbing M-O on his way into the hall.

 _"Wait! Stop! Please!"_ Gregor chased after them. V-GR would have to find a way to evade his pursuit before they left for Earth.


	18. Chapter 18

_Almost!_ M-O scrubbed his screen in V-GR's arms, _Ack! I can't wait to get back home! It's so crystal-clean at my house!_

"Knowing you, M-O, I'm sure it's pristine." V-GR commented, "Let's get back as fast as we can."

"Look!" Willow pointed, "Up ahead! We're almost there!"

"Okay, after this, we'll-!"

The room was suddenly filled with grey dust, clinging to their metal like sticky sap. V-GR coughed as the floor swayed, a cold draft appearing from a crack in the ground.

A drop off.

"What was that?" Willow's eyes fell on M-O, "Oh no..."

"What's wrong?" V-GR felt trembling from him, "M-O?"

M-O screamed, brushing himself all over, _GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OOOFFFFF!_

"M-O!" Willow grabbed the panicked cleaning-bot, trying to get the sticky grey dust off him, "What even is this!? It feels like lint, but like wet!"

 _I HATE IT! GET IT OFF OF ME!_

"I'm trying!" Willow cried, "I-It's stuck! It won't come off!"

V-GR tried to speak again, but he just ended up coughing instead.

 **"Going somewhere?"**

V-GR glared, **"Dad!? What the heck!?"**

 **"Sorry about that. I just wanted to get your attention."**

M-O was sobbing, _I hate it! It feels so gritty on my skin! It's so horrible!_

"M-O, I'm so sorry!" Willow turned to Gregor, **"How do we wash this stuff off!?"**

 **"It's just grey matter. It'll come off with some sulfur water."**

 **"That's a thing?"** Willow shook her head, **"Whatever! Just get that for us, please?"**

 **"I would like to...but..."**

V-GR felt the floor sway beneath his feet dangerously.

 **"Dad...don't...you've already ruined her life...you killed her dad, remember?"**

Gregor looked from V-GR to M-O, still in Willow's arms, almost as if he was deciding between losing all credibility but keeping his son, or potentially losing his son for more credibility. Excuse me, why was that even a choice!? He was about to drop them into a cold pit of solid concrete!

 **"Dad?"** V-GR watched Willow try to comfort M-O.

"We're going to die..." Willow realized as the floor kept swaying, "We're going to die..."

 **"Dad...you're better than this..."** V-GR tried to reason with Gregor, **"Don't do this...please..."**

Gregor sighed, looking upset, **"I'm sorry, Son."** he rose his robotic arm and the whole room trembled, threatening to send them into oblivion.

 **"Dad!** ** _NO!"_** V-GR squeezed his eyes shut, grabbing Willow and M-O, "That's it! It's over! We're never going home!"

"Nooo!" Willow sobbed, "I didn't want to diiie!"

A sudden explosion shook the building and someone zipped inside, grabbing M-O and flying off. Gregor was buried in the collapsed building nearly instantaneously, the ground becoming solid again.

And then all was quiet.

"Oh...we're okay..." V-GR held Willow close to himself, "We're fine..."

"Are we alive?"

"Yes...yes, we're alive..." he cried, relieved, "We're alive..."

It wasn't long before M-O was returned, super shiny clean.

Willow beamed, "Mom!"

"Hey, guys..." EVE shifted M-O to one arm, "I'm sorry, Willow...I shouldn't have shut down on you like that...I'm a terrible mother, aren't I?"

"What? No you're not!" Willow exclaimed, "M-O told me everything about what you went through, don't worry about it!"

"No! That was stupid!" EVE insisted, "I was just so distracted! I...I don't know...I'm so sorry, Wil...that's no excuse..."

"I forgive you, okay!? Let's just go!" Willow said, turning to leave, "Wait..."

EVE watched her quizzically, "What?"

Willow caught sight of something on the ground outside as she left through the collapsed wall. It was a circuit board.

A familiar circuit board.

"That looks familiar." Willow picked it up delicately in her fingers, "Doesn't it?"

"Yes!" EVE gasped, "That's in your father's blueprints!"

"It is!?" Willow looked over it.

"That must've been the problem!" V-GR took the board from her, "This probably has his missing memories on it."

"Yes..." EVE started crying in relief, "...he's alive...he's alive!"

"Daddy..." Willow breathed, "We need to hurry home. It's been too long since we saw the others."

* * *

WALL-E's blank stare greeted them upon reentry of the space pod. He hadn't moved an inch, his optics still level and blackened inside.

"Guess what we found, Daddy!" Willow hollered cheerfully.

He glanced at her before returning to his stoic position.

"Please let this work..." EVE opened WALL-E's chest and inserted the board carefully, closing him up again and holding his hand tightly, "Please wake up, Wall-E..." she kissed him softly.

Willow, M-O, and V-GR all watched as they gathered around, everyone waiting for him to wake up.

One second...

Two seconds...

Three seconds...

EVE was getting worried that he was gone forever, but then WALL-E's fingers closed around EVE's hand.

"Yes. Yes!" EVE gasped, one hand on the base of her visor.

WALL-E's inner-eyes whirred as they adjusted, his optics slanting down and up, down and up, individually, then together. He blinked.

"Daddy?"

He let his eyes curve downward, "Willow...?"

"Ah! Wall-E!" EVE was so relieved.

He looked at her blankly.

EVE frowned, "You do remember me, right?"

He blinked again, letting a smile curve his features, "How could I not remember my beautiful wife?"

"You're alive!" EVE squealed as she hugged him, spinning him around and around before setting him down and resting her ear to his shoulder, "You're alive..."

"What happened to me?" WALL-E seemed confused, "You guys act like I could disappear at any moment."

"Daddy!" Willow hugged him, "Ee! I'm so happy!"

"Um, so am I..." WALL-E looked over his girls at V-GR, "Seriously, what happened?"

 _You don't remember being crushed?_ M-O asked.

"No...and why are you two covered in dirt?"

"Don't worry about that!" Willow laughed, "Aaaah...we can finally go home now..."

"I'd like that..." WALL-E replied, "I'd like that a lot."

"I'm carrying you home..." EVE said, kissing WALL-E's neck.

"Ahhh..." WALL-E leaned into her, "If you say so, Baby..."

"Okay!" V-GR cheerfully began to type at the control panel, "Finally! Course set for Earth! M-O, grab my mother for me, huh?"

 _Sure thing!_

"Wow..." WALL-E melted in EVE's embrace as he was drenched in little sparks, "I should get crushed more often..."

 _ **"NO!"**_ everyone shouted.

"Kidding! I was kidding!" WALL-E leaned into EVE, "Mmm...but this is so nice..."

V-GR knew his dad would probably come after them again, but he was happy! Finally! He could go home with Willow and be happy! He couldn't wait!

He was happy...

"V-Gr?" Willow took his hand, noticing the scratches marring his wrist, "Are you excited?"

"You bet I am!"

Willow ran her thumb over the scratches, "I'm so happy, V-Gr..."

V-GR chuckled, "So am I, Wil...I am so happy...because I'm with you..."

"Same..." Willow watched the sky as it zipped past, heading towards Earth at record speed. She could see the sun millions of miles away.

The morning made them sailors in the air...They were keeping the midnight stars held high...

They were captains of the sky.


End file.
